Xolotl
by Quatermass
Summary: (Harry/Felicia!) Hero of Symkaria. Gringotts' most infamous cursebreaker. And now, a British wizard in New York. Harry wants to live life on his own terms, but in a city filled with superheroes and exotic criminals, that's not going to be easy, not when a Black Cat crosses his path, and a certain Spider-Man is linked to one of his oldest friends...
1. Foreword

**FOREWORD**

If I had to discuss my favourite superheroes, close to the top would be Spider-Man. Oddly enough, though, I felt no real need to do a story based on the franchise. At least, not until I played the recent _Spider-Man_ game on the PS4. Despite some bugs here and there and an annoying combat learning curve, I found it a most enjoyable game, one where you felt like Spider-Man (and Peter Parker) while playing. And the story was one of the biggest draws.

Anyway, time for the usual disclaimers. Firstly, there will be spoilers for both Harry Potter and _Spider-Man_.

Secondly, there will be heavy annotations, as is usual for my works. You have been warned.

Thirdly, this is an M-Rated work. There will be coarse language, violence, dark themes, and sexual references. Again, you have been warned.

Finally, the following is a fan-written work. Harry Potter and _Spider-Man _are the properties of their respective owners. Please support the official release. Otherwise, Spider-Man will humiliate you and tie you up with his webbing…


	2. Chapter 1: A British Wizard in Manhattan

**CHAPTER 1:**

**A BRITISH WIZARD IN MANHATTAN**

_"…So you're leaving?"_

_The speaker was a woman in her thirties, beautiful, but with a hard beauty, framed by a short bob of silver hair. She was dressed in a steel grey bodysuit, one more militaristic than titillating, with a similarly coloured jacket over it. She was looking at the other occupant of the room as they both nursed cups of tea._

_"Yeah. I mean…I appreciate you helping me find asylum here while the ICW cleared my name, at least enough for me to be able to leave the country for good. And there's all the training you gave me, which has helped with those cursebreaking jobs Gringotts sent me on after that fiasco, but…even if I can't go home, I want to go somewhere. It's not that I don't love Symkaria. I do. You and your people made me feel very welcome. But…I was trapped here because of what Malfoy did, and even after Gringotts sent me abroad from here…well, I just want to find another place to call home. Symkaria, as much as I love it, isn't my home, _hercegnő_."_

_"I told you not to call me that. And you were like a caged tiger, pacing around its prison," the woman said to her guest, a young man in his twenties with a messy mop of dark hair, emerald eyes, and a distinctive scar in the shape of a lightning bolt, snaking its way from beneath his fringe. "I understand. I feel the same way. It is why I renounced my claim to the throne in favour of my brother Stefan. Having fought against our cousin and her hired thugs for so long…I do not think I can simply go back to our life the way we were. Not that our family has been soft, not since the Second World War, or the Cold War…but we became complacent. We thought that Latveria would be our worst problem. But now…the war is over. I struggle for purpose, and many of those under me do so as well."_

_"That's why you established the PMC, Silvija," the young man said. "Symkaria's economy needs revitalising anyway. But…it's also the fame. Too many people are viewing me as their saviour here…again."_

_"I understand_, barát," _the woman said sadly. "I despise the adulation too. That you have undergone it twice over…in any case, I wish to remain in touch. Even if we are not lovers now, we are most definitely friends, allies and comrades in arms. Know then that I am deeply and fully grateful for your help in toppling my cousin's regime, and while your name may be a curse to many, others will see it as a blessing. So, where do you intend to head?"_

_"…Gringotts is sending me to New York, and anyway, Hermione lives there now. Besides, it might be interesting. Grindlewald caused that incident in the Thirties, and then there's those so-called superheroes. The Avengers, the X-Men, Spider-Man…actually, Dr Strange was one of those who helped me get exonerated. I could at least say thanks in person."_

_The woman rolled her eyes._ "Doamne…_going willingly_ _amongst those vigilantes and troublemakers…still…take care of yourself, Harry."_

_"Hey, I'll be fine, Silvija…"_

* * *

New York. If there was a metropolis that embodied metropolises the world over, it would be this. Ask someone in the world about the American city they knew of most, and New York would be close to the top if not at the top.

Its towering skyscrapers, clawing at the sky, had impressed many. German filmmaker Fritz Lang, after seeing those skyscrapers and the night life of the city back in the Twenties, was inspired by the imagery on display for one of his own works, the famous science fiction film _Metropolis_. The Metropolis of Superman and the Gotham City of Batman were also inspired by this cityscape.

New York was by no means the centre of the world, but it was certainly a hub of politics, culture and history. In fact, the latter was seemingly steeped into the stones of the city. It was an old city in a relatively young country, young as far as European colonisation was concerned anyway. And it also seemed steeped in glamour, in a way not dissimilar and yet apart from the cultural hub squatting on the other side of the country in Los Angeles.

True, it wasn't without an underbelly. No city is without its dark side, and New York's was particularly infamous. Vice and virtue clashed on a daily basis on the streets. And even its symbolic nature as one of the most noteworthy cities in the United States of America ended up making it a prime target of the terrorist attacks on September 11 in 2001. The World Trade Centre, a pair of gleaming towers of commerce, were no more, brought down by fanaticism.

But New York was a resilient and tenacious entity. It embodied much of the US, both good and bad. And it was often the first port of call for those looking to make a fresh start, making the transition from the Old World to the New World.

One such emigrant had a chequered past. Hero, villain, pawn, messiah, saviour, destroyer, and so many more epithets could have been applied to him. But now, he just wanted, if not a quiet life, then at least one where he could live on his own terms.

More fool him…

* * *

The apartment in Greenwich Village was a good one. It reminded him somewhat of the one from Friends, and indeed, he was living in the general facility. Harry had to admit, Gringotts had actually gotten him some nice living space here. Of course, he could use his trunk to sleep in, and that was considerably more luxurious, but he needed the apartment to cover for any curious Muggles.

He'd just spent two days being all but interrogated by not just the mundane immigration authorities, but MACUSA. True, he could understand the increased paranoia after 9/11, but they kept asking him questions about his actions in Symkaria, despite the deposition he gave to the ICW, despite the statement he had written up for both the Muggles and the wizards. Both fucking idiots, he reckoned, obsessed with the infamous Xolotl. It took him several hours before he was finally shuffled onto someone relatively reasonable, Medea Graves, one of the New York DMLE's top Aurors.

Graves had a stick up her arse the size of the Chrysler Building, but she was at least reasonable. With her help, his entry into the US and a probationary residential visa was approved. It didn't hurt that he had quite a bit of money, not for bribes, but because it would help the local economy if he actually spent it.

He smiled sardonically to himself. Gringotts had him transferred here to act as their 'chief retrieval officer' for the East Coast of America. It was a culmination of the work he did for them before and during his exile in Symkaria. And even though Gringotts could have screwed him over after, well, breaking in to retrieve that Horcrux, the Goblins took it surprisingly well. They took it as a sign to improve security, and to better screen what was put into their vaults. Horcruxes were reviled by them, and the Lestranges hadn't shelled out for a more secure vault anyway.

Harry joining as a cursebreaker was something of a coup for Gringotts. He'd gone on a couple of missions with Bill Weasley to Egypt, but Symkaria was his first major job. Apparently some wizards had helped Countess Katarina Karkov gain the throne there, and they had stolen dark artifacts from a Gringotts funded dig in Romania to do so. Harry and some other Gringotts employees were sent in with peacekeepers working with the ICW, including Ron and Draco, to deal with it.

Only, it was a trap. Draco had been helping Karkov's backers the whole time, and set up an ambush, one Harry survived, barely. Draco then framed Harry for his own crimes, and Harry's exoneration wasn't helped when he killed Draco. Only the fact that Harry had already become friends with Princess Silvija Sablinova, one of the leaders of the resistance against Karkov, saved his life.

Harry went on an infamous rampage. By the end of it, Karkov and most of the wizards backing her were dead, and Silvija's family was back in power. This wasn't to say that Harry was singlehandedly responsible for bringing the Symkarian Civil War to an end. But he significantly reduced Karkov's powerbase enough for Silvija and the resistance, including the PMC Silvija founded, to finish the job.

Not that it helped too much. Thanks to the late Draco and his still alive and still ungrateful mother, Harry was branded a war criminal by the ICW, or at least by those parts of the ICW that followed Magical Britain's lead. He had to seek refuge in Symkaria, and only left it to take on jobs for Gringotts in countries who weren't following Magical Britain's lead. Not that it stopped people from trying to kill him, like that mission in Mexico that caused that annoying nickname of 'Xolotl' to stick. It was only recently that the ICW exonerated him. And even then, he couldn't go back to Britain. So when Gringotts made their offer, he decided to take it, partly because he knew Hermione had recently emigrated to New York herself.

As Harry finished unpacking the essentials out of the trunk to make the apartment look lived-in, he heard a knock on the door. With a sigh of annoyance, he went over, and checked the peephole. After a moment, he let the person he saw outside in.

The man in question was middle-aged, with bearded, saturnine features and a serious demeanour. He was dressed in a rather severe suit. "Good morning, Harry Potter. I am Dr Stephen Strange."

Harry nodded, taking the man's proffered hand. "I figured. I'd ask what the Sorcerer Supreme wants with me, but really, I'm grateful to you for helping me get exonerated with the ICW after that mess in Symkaria, even if I'm still _persona non grata_ in Britain."

"Draco Malfoy's actions, as well as those of his mother, have certainly poisoned the well there," Strange said solemnly. "You weren't even in Symkaria to fight in the civil war, at least not until you and your cursebreakers were targeted, and yet, Malfoy set you up to be seen as aiding terrorists. An irony, considering that he himself was part of terrorist groups."

"Malfoys haven't got a single grateful bone in their body," Harry muttered, bitterly. "Then again, neither have most wizards."

"I do agree. The sorcerers and mages of the Kamar-Taj follow a different school of magic to the wizards you are more familiar with, more powerful, but more dangerous, and the wizards despise us. I am barely tolerated by MACUSA."

"So am I," Harry said, grimacing. "I just went through a few days of interrogation by the DMLE. Medea Graves is a hardarse, but at least she's decent. Some of those interrogators, though…"

"Indeed. MACUSA is worse than the British Ministry in some regards, and is better in others," Strange said. "In any case, I came to greet you, and to wish you well on your new endeavours. I was told you are continuing work as a cursebreaker for Gringotts."

"Yeah. This time, though, it won't be dealing with tombs and archaeological digs," Harry said. "Apparently, they have a cursebreaker in charge of tracking any magical artifacts that have been bought through illicit channels or stolen, and retrieving the especially dangerous ones."

"I'm aware of that, just as I am aware that this is what you'll be doing from now on," Strange said. "Just be warned that there are many such artifacts that should not be trifled with. I have a strong relationship with the Goblins, and there are times when they will consult with myself and the Kamar-Taj on matters outside wizarding magic. I am not saying this to be patronising, Harry. I'm sure there is much you can handle."

Harry nodded, though he couldn't help but feel irritated anyway. Then, curiosity struck him. "Dr Strange…why did you help exonerate me with the ICW? I thought there was a rift between the acolytes of the Kamar-Taj and normal wizards, from what I know."

"True. But I was asked to by a known associate. I have ties with Gringotts, particularly their cursebreakers, and there are many tomes at the Sanctum Sanctorum that the cursebreakers are welcome to consult. It was Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour who brought your case to my attention, and while I may not be particularly liked by the ICW or MACUSA, my word still has some weight, especially as I can call upon SHIELD and the Avengers to lend further weight. MACUSA may not like SHIELD or the Avengers, but they do respect them to a degree."

"I'm guessing the feeling is mutual?"

Strange gave a rather sardonic smile. "More than a few times, they've clashed with Aurors, as have I. I came to meet you partly because we may be collaborating. You've come here on a semi-permanent basis to act as a Gringotts cursebreaker and retrieval agent for dangerous magical artifacts, from what I have been told. It is highly likely that we will collaborate on occasion. You are welcome at the Sanctum Sanctorum."

"Thanks," Harry said. "Though I'm surprised Hermione hasn't been to pester you to let her look at the library there."

At this, Strange chuckled. "Actually, she has. Wong had a hard time ensuring she didn't touch any truly dangerous works. A little too eager for knowledge. She only came to New York recently, as I'm sure you know."

"Yeah…I know." Harry had kept up correspondence with Hermione, along with the few people who would speak to him. It was usually emails and letters (Gringotts never gave him a satellite phone, his communications mirror was shattered in Symkaria, and the international roaming charges on his mobile were ruinous, so when he went abroad for his work, he used international owl post whenever internet wasn't available).

"She lives and works close by. If I may offer some advice, Harry…I would ask that you help the ones she works with. I know the young man her employer hired as an intern. Peter Parker is a young man of considerable integrity and responsibility, even if he has a habit of tardiness. I know that sounds contradictory, but I know him well. And I think your influence can be for the better on both Parker and his employer and mentor, Dr Octavius."

"…Is this going to be a prophecy or a seer thing?" Harry asked suspiciously. "Because I'm not fond of those."

"While I can see the past with my artifacts, including the Eye of Agamotto, the future is another matter. But…let us just say I knew Octavius before I became the Sorcerer Supreme…"

They continued the conversation, as somewhat formal though it was, for some time, before Strange left. Apparently, the appearance of a known agent provocateur had gotten a number of people worried. Strange had been asked, for example, to pass on a message from SHIELD'S head, Nick Fury, that he was having an eye kept on him. That made him roll his eyes. He was sure Homeland Security had their eyes on him, what with being a British ex-pat with Symkarian citizenship.

Still, Strange had a point. He should really stop by and see Hermione. And with all the money he made with Gringotts, to say nothing of the Potter family fortune, maybe he could help out Octavius…

**CHAPTER 1 ANNOTATIONS:**

**So, there you have it. Harry's been a reluctant hero again, and now he's an outcast from Magical Britain. Time will tell what effect he will have on the events of the game.**

**And it's perfectly possible that Doctor Strange knew Octavius back when he was a surgeon. Maybe they discussed the neuroscience and surgery needed for artificial limbs.**

**No numbered annotations this time.**


	3. Chapter 2: Reunion

**CHAPTER 2:**

**REUNION**

Harry looked at the industrial building in Greenwich Village. It didn't look all that impressive, but he knew that appearances could be deceiving. He'd been asked to come here by an old friend, and frankly, he needed a reunion with a friendly face. His first port of call was to touch base with his old friend, one of the few he had left over from the Hogwarts years. What Malfoy managed to do to his reputation in Symkaria pretty much ensured that he was _persona non grata_ in Britain, and he was lucky to get his money out of the country.

Hermione had more than a few reasons to hate him. Ron had died when Malfoy sprang his little trap in Symkaria. And when Hermione tracked down her parents in Australia and removed their Obliviations…well, they had disowned her. That she'd held herself together long enough to go through university, get a doctorate, and head out of Britain was a testament to her strength of character and will. That, and the fact that she was actually heir to the Dagworth-Granger family and thus a small fortune that helped set her up for life.

She should hate him. It was thanks to the fact that she was friends with Harry Potter that she'd lost her boyfriend and her family. But she remained friends with him. It's more than a lot of people in Britain were. He could count the remaining friends he had in Magical Britain on two hands and have fingers spare for the obscene gestures he had for the remainder.

He entered the building, and soon found the door he was looking for, marked 'Octavius Industries'. There was a keycard panel near the door, but he didn't have one, so he knocked. After about half a minute of waiting, he raised his fist to knock on the door again, only for it to open.

The young man who was revealed was barely older than a teenager, tall and gangly, but with what seemed to be some muscle hiding beneath his clothes. Brown hair framed a long but handsome, in a mildly geeky way, face. Hazel eyes met Harry's own emerald. "Sorry, can I help you?"

"Yes, I'm a friend of Dr Granger? I'm Harry Potter."

The young man seemed to debate with himself, before he said, "Just a moment." The door shut. A couple of minutes later, it was re-opened by a familiar face framed by bushy hair.

"…You're here," Hermione said. "You're finally here!" She hugged him. "You damned idiot, Harry…you kept me worried and…and…and this isn't the best time for this."

"No, not really. I came to say hello. You can chew me out later over…lunch? Tea?"

"Right. Anyway, come in," she said, escorting him inside.

When he heard the name Octavius Industries, he thought of a vast factory-like space. However, this seemed to be more like a fairly large workshop with a couple of offices off to one side. Oh, the vast array of technology was impressive, and he hoped Hermione's zeal would work well with the equipment here. But it seemed slightly underwhelming.

The young man from earlier was talking to another man, a short, rather pudgy older man with a receding hairline and glasses. "Harry, this is Dr Otto Octavius," Hermione said, indicating the older man. "And this is our assistant, Peter Parker."

Harry shook hands with the two. "Nice to meet you," he said.

"The pleasure's all mine, and please, call me Otto," Octavius said with a genial smile. "Hermione told me quite a bit about you, how you're a good man whose reputation was unjustly sullied in Symkaria. I trust her judgement. Hermione has been a boon to me, in both my research and development, as well as keeping me grounded. And Peter…well, he's a genius, a prodigy."

"Doctor…" Peter said, looking embarrassed.

"Hermione told me a little of what you guys are working on here. Something about cybernetics, artificial limbs and the like," Harry said. "Sounds useful."

"You know, your tone shows how much you realise that," Otto said. "Then again, you were involved in the Symkaria Civil War, I'm sure you saw many horrific injuries, many of which could have benefited from cybernetics. I'm sorry if that was tactless, I'm just passionate about the field. She even told me that you were acquainted with Princess Silvija Sablinova." At this, Otto's gaze became piercing, even searching.

"We're friends and comrades, and she taught me everything I know about proper combat, but that's about it. Besides, these days, she prefers to be known as Silver Sable, at least to anyone not her friends."

Otto seemed to consider this, before nodding. "I see."

"Anyway, she's not a princess anymore. She willingly gave up her claim to the throne so she could continue running the Sable International PMC. By the way, Otto, while I'm sure you do good work, I'm surprised Stark Industries or the Future Foundation haven't worked on something like that."

Otto scoffed, waving his hand dismissively. "Stark is more concerned with hedonism, and he seems to spend more time with his so-called bodyguard and the Avengers on the West Coast lately, while Dr Richards, though an undeniable genius, can't make cost-effective inventions, and he and the Fantastic Four are often off gallivanting around as well. Only SHIELD and those with similar budgets can afford them. These prosthetics need to be affordable for the people. Expensive, yes, you can't get away from that, but it should still be affordable enough that you don't have to be Tony Stark or Norman Osborn to afford it. Though given the way the world is, I doubt they'd be covered by an HMO. Of course, such research and development needs money. I get a grant from the city, but that also means I am beholden to Osborn's whims."

Harry noticed that when he mentioned the name of the infamous CEO of Oscorp and current Mayor of New York City, Otto's voice became a touch more venomous. Maybe there was history between them, though Osborn wasn't exactly a popular mayor in many circles. There were frequent allegations of conflict of interests, and while Oscorp funded a number of facilities around New York, there were also rumours of shady military and medical research.

He decided to bring up something he had been considering. "Otto, Dr Octavius…would you be willing for me to invest some money into your company?"

Otto looked at him sharply. Eventually, and a little suspiciously, he asked, "Why?"

"What Hermione told me about you and your work stated that you're a good man doing good work. I don't know whether she told you, but my father's family was actually quite rich, and my work gives me quite a bit of income. And, as she likes to remind me, I have what she calls a 'saving people' thing. Funding your work will help that. I'm not going to be funding your whole R&D, but I do want to help."

Otto looked to Hermione, before looking back at Harry. "I see. Well, we'll discuss this at a later date. Don't get me wrong, I'm always happy to receive funding, but when you've experienced what I have, you have to wonder what strings are attached. Please don't be offended."

"I'm fine," Harry said. "I've been mistrusted and badmouthed myself way too often."

"Yeah…I know that feeling," Peter said. "Got badmouthed a lot at school, and, well, my former boss at _The Daily Bugle_, he had a pretty sharp tongue towards virtually everyone."

"Oh God, you mean that wanker Jameson?" Harry asked. "I heard his podcast the other day. I could say I have literally no idea how he gets away with it, or why people listen to him, but, well, my own reputation got scuppered more than once. Personally, I'd want to see what Spider-Man does myself before I judge him, let alone the other groups like the Avengers or the X-Men. Jameson, though? He's a conspiracy theorist and as big an attention whore as he claims Spider-Man to be. I'm seriously tempted to prank call him."

Peter and Hermione snickered, and Otto smiled. "I know the feeling. Sometimes, his podcasts have a point, sometimes they're only good for comedy, and sometimes…well, I wouldn't be surprised if Spider-Man just snapped one day and hung him from the top of the Chrysler Building in nothing but his underpants."

"Ugh, that was a mental image I didn't need, J Jonah Jameson in underpants!" Peter groaned. "I mean, I seriously once read a year ago a slashfic, of all things, involving Spider-Man and him. I badly needed brain bleach. I don't read stuff like that anymore."

"…Thanks for putting that mental image into my head, Peter," Hermione groaned. "Anyway…there's a nice little café nearby, Harry. Otto, do you think you and Peter could hold down the fort?"

"Of course I can," Otto said. "Have fun…"

* * *

They sat across from each other at the café, Hermione erecting a Privacy Charm so they wouldn't be overheard. Eventually, Hermione shook her head. "You haven't been staying out of trouble, have you?"

"I can't. I'm not that kind of person, Hermione, even if my days of being a hero are over. I thought they died with Voldemort, but really, they died when Malfoy betrayed me."

"That's what worries me. One day, I worry you're going to get hurt or killed like Ron was. Harry, you're my oldest friend, and one of the few I have left from the Hogwarts days. Luna, Neville, George, Fleur and Bill are the only ones I really keep in contact, aside from you. Even here, I don't have many. Aside from Peter and Otto, most of my friends are friends or relatives of Peter. I worry that one day, I'll hear that you're dead, just like with Ron."

"…I get that," Harry said quietly. "You're like a sister to me, Hermione. You were my most loyal friend, a few blips here and there, and, well, I probably gave you too many adventures."

The bushy-haired witch chuckled ruefully. "I suppose. New York's enough of an adventure anyway, what with all the superheroes and vigilantes. I've met a couple of them, I mean, aside from Dr Strange. He said he was going to see you."

"He did."

"Hmm. And I've met Dr Richards and the rest of the Fantastic Four. Otto has a point that Dr Richards can't make a cost-effective invention easily, but he's still a genius. Also met Spider-Man a couple of times. And while he does seem a bit like an attention seeker, I actually think he's a genuinely decent person who tries to do his best to clean up New York."

Harry nodded. The infamous Spider-Man, a vigilante he'd first heard of while he was training with Gringotts. Public opinion was fairly divided on Spider-Man, not helped by a tendency towards collateral damage with property and the acid tongue of J Jonah Jameson, but the general consensus was that he was a rather chatty and facetious vigilante who nonetheless did good work around New York. "Did you get a selfie with him?" he asked facetiously.

"Actually, I did, but with your internet access spotty, I didn't send it. Besides, I thought you had more serious matters on your mind. Speaking of…how is Silvija?"

Harry shrugged. "I think she's like me, restless and looking for a purpose. Running a PMC probably helps her fill the void, given that her cousin took the throne when she was young, and she's been fighting a way since she was a kid. She's a bit like me in that regard."

"I'm a little surprised that you didn't stay together. I mean…I read between the lines of your letters, and I thought you were very close. As in romantic close."

"…It wasn't like that, Hermione. We were friends, and more than friends for a time…but we realised it wouldn't work out. She's a beautiful and intelligent and compassionate woman, but Silvija's also pretty strict and authoritarian. But I'm more of a free spirit, an iconoclast, and she knew it. We're still friends, but any romance wouldn't work out. Still gets annoyed when I call her _hercegnő_."

"Calling someone 'princess' can get annoying in any language, Harry. I got annoyed when my parents called me that." At this, her face fell. "Now, they want nothing to do with me. They wouldn't leave the country at the time, not without taking me with them, and leaving you alone, and…when I thought up the plan, it was after such a bad argument, because they didn't care about what happened to you, Harry."

"…I'm still surprised you don't hate me for that, Hermione," Harry said quietly.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel anger and resentment at you because of that, but…you weren't the one who Obliviated my parents. Besides, there were times when I felt like a trophy daughter, a prodigy they could trot out, and when I went to Hogwarts, they couldn't do that due to the Statute. Tensions had been building in my home for a long time. The last time I spoke to them, it was when Ron just died. And…when I told them…my father…he said I wasn't welcome, to stay with the wizards I loved so much." Her breath caught in her throat, and she shook her head. "Thankfully, that inheritance test for the Dagworth-Granger fortune came in, and I was able to pay my way through my degrees. During that time, I went into correspondence with a number of scientists, including Dr Octavius. Otto eventually offered me work. It doesn't exactly pay that well, this is more of a start-up and R&D company so far, but…I know he can change the world, Harry. The leaps and strides we've made in cyberneural interfaces, artificial limbs…it'll be at least a couple of years before we get to a proper prototype stage for testing, but…I believe in Otto Octavius, and so does Peter."

"Yeah, about that…what's his story?"

"A bit of a prodigy when it comes to engineering and chemistry," Hermione said. "I'm no slouch, but Peter's a genius. While his specialty is in engineering and chemistry, he's a Renaissance Man in all sorts of fields. Stark is called the Da Vinci of our times, and so's Richards, but I reckon Peter will eclipse them both. Sad thing is, like you, he was orphaned at a young age. His parents died in a plane crash, though I've heard rumours about it being related to something else. Unlike the Dursleys, his uncle and aunt treated him well, though his uncle was murdered by some burglar. May's a really nice woman, she works at the FEAST homeless shelter in Chinatown. She's like Molly, but without the pushiness or patronising. Peter's also got this girlfriend, a would-be reporter, Mary-Jane Watson. And he's somewhat tardy." Hermione shrugged. "But he's a nice guy and got a lot on his plate, and I can pick up the slack."

"He's pretty young," Harry remarked.

"He reminds me a little of yourself, especially when we first met. Eager to help, a bit uncertain of himself, trying to do what he can for others. Apparently, his uncle had a saying, '_with great power comes great responsibility_'."

"Trite tripe," Harry scoffed. "If that were true, wizards would actually be trying to help Muggles…oh, wait, they call them No-Majs here. I'd rather try to have a decent life. If someone needs help, I'll try to help them, but otherwise…" Harry gave a shrug. "My hero days are pretty much done. I mean, major heroics."

Hermione just gave him a sceptical look. But he had to admit while she may have had a point, he knew that heroism had a short use-by date. Nowadays, while his work was risky, it at least paid well, and he got some small gratitude. And he was doing good work, keeping dark artifacts out of the hands who shouldn't have them.

Of course, he didn't know it, but his first job in New York would end up with a Black Cat crossing his path. But it might not be a portent of bad luck after all…

**CHAPTER 2 ANNOTATIONS:**

**So, Hermione's working for Doc Ock, and we've had some insight into what haunts the two Hogwarts alumni.**

**No numbered annotations this time.**


	4. Chapter 3: Xolotl and the Black Cat

**CHAPTER 3:**

**XOLOTL AND THE BLACK CAT**

It was a couple of weeks later, and Harry had his first job in New York for Gringotts. Given his abilities, the Goblins knew they could use him to do some pretty dirty work. In effect, the job was somewhere between repo man and thief. And on Gringotts' books, he had a rather pretentious codename: Xolotl.

It was a bad joke that started shortly after his exile in Symkaria began. He'd been requested on a couple of overseas missions, one of which was similar to this one, in Mexico. A drug cartel with links to the magical underworld of Mexico had attacked a Gringotts expedition to an Aztec ruin that, until recently, had been hidden by the local equivalent of the Fidelius. And they had killed many good wizards, a few of whom Harry knew from Britain from his training. Others were locals who didn't deserve their fate.

In his anger, he'd launched an attack on the compound the cartel and their wizarding allies were using. He'd used his Animagus form, that of a wolf, to infiltrate, and he had torn out a few throats in that form. At one point, he had been cornered by a group of them in human form, and they demanded to know who he was. He just told them he was their death, come to take them to Hell. One of the criminals had remarked, "_Look at this little _cabron. _He thinks he's Xolotl reborn, looking to take us to Mictlan_."

The laughter took their attention away just enough for him to Apparate away, and then use Fiendfyre on them. By that point, they were calling him Xolotl, but not with laughter. They did so with fear. And the survivors they had taken with them into the camp to interrogate heard the nickname screamed in fear, and, well, some impish Goblin in Gringotts pegged him with that codename.

It was fitting. Xolotl was the Aztec god of death, associated with dogs. And Harry still had two of the Deathly Hallows, the Cloak and the Elder Wand, though the latter he kept in a vault at Gringotts.

The name stuck, and while it was fairly badass, it was also annoying. Instead of being called the Boy Who Lived, Harry was stuck with the name of an Aztec death god. One Goblin even made the mistake of claiming it was because Harry was Gringotts' little attack dog. Needless to say, the other Goblins pegged the resulting injuries as the result of 'attempted suicide'.

And now, here he was, looking at a warehouse through Omnioculars. It belonged to a rather wealthy Halfblood who was the head of a Maggia gang in New York, and said to be on good terms with the infamous Maggia boss 'Hammerhead'. The problem was, Matteo Palamecia(1) had bought a cursed artifact from a Gringotts cursebreaker he had on his payroll. A large dagger that was once used by Elizabeth Bathory in her sadistic killings, imbued with an exsanguination curse.

The warehouse was one of many possible places where the deal was going down. Ostensibly, the Gringotts representative was there to purchase a shipment of precious metals. The Goblins didn't really care who they did business with, as long as they didn't steal from the Goblins or kill Goblins (without due cause, anyway), and they did some business with the Maggia and other crime groups, as long as they followed the golden rule: don't screw us over. Those who forgot this rule would be made examples of.

It wasn't up to Harry to make an example of Palamecia, though if he killed him in self-defence, the Goblins wouldn't mind. It was retrieving the artifact that was the priority. The Omnioculars had special and very expensive enchantments designed to penetrate the walls of the warehouse. Armed guards, albeit dressed as normal security, were stationed around the outside. On the inside, there were some more, some wielding guns, the others wielding wands.

He was looking for an ingress point. Nothing seemed to be warded beyond simple alarm wards, and given that this warehouse was used by Palamecia to store normal goods rather than magical ones or illicit ones, that was probably a good idea. And those were relatively easily dealt with, especially as they were deactivated while the meeting went down. Of course, the customised Omnioculars couldn't detect every ward, or correctly identify each ward, but they were a useful tool. He still had his Invisibility Cloak. That would be key to getting in and out.

The Gringotts cursebreaker, some coward called Borghen(2), was just arriving. His orders were to capture Borghen in the act and send him back to Gringotts for interrogation by the Goblins and the DMLE. But even as he was escorted inside the warehouse, Harry was halted when he saw a figure land on the roof, knocking out a goon expertly. In fact, he was staring. And who could blame him? He'd just witnessed the arrival of one of New York's most infamous criminals, Black Cat.

Black Cat (real name, Felicia Hardy, according to a newspaper he remembered reading during his exile in Symkaria) appeared to be a young woman, maybe about his age, though it was hard to tell from here. A lithe body was clad in a black bodysuit that, while it showed off her figure, also had elements of something more militaristic, as if it were bullet-proof, or at least resistant. Her silver hair was tied up in a ponytail, while her eyes were covered by goggles.

Harry grimaced. He tapped the earpiece he was wearing, and quietly said, "Xolotl here. A complication has arisen. Black Cat has crashed the party."

On the other end, a Goblin scoffed. "_You're kidding me. That human thief is there? Well, that might be an opportunity, as long as she doesn't make off with the dagger. If she steals from Palamecia, we couldn't care less._"

"And if Palamecia or his men harm her?"

"_You know our policy regarding thieves of our property, but knowing you…well, use your discretion._"

Harry nodded. He watched as Black Cat, rather expertly, took out many of the guards on the inside, sticking to the shadows, the walls and the ceiling. Soon, though, the absence was noticed. And Harry knew things would come to a head soon…

* * *

Felicia Hardy, better known as the Black Cat, was not having a good night. Oh, it started off that way. She'd heard through the grapevine that some sort of stolen antiquities deal was going down between some Maggia boss and some dodgy dealer. She thought she would relieve them of their ill-gotten gains, apparently some dagger belonging to Elizabeth Bathory, and sell it through a dealer she knew.

Arriving at the warehouse was easy enough, as was dealing with the idiots within, though she had to wonder why a few of them were wielding wands rather than guns. Then again, in a town where the likes of Dr Strange walked alongside Daredevil, the X-Men, Fantastic Four and the Avengers, to say nothing of her cute little Spider, well…she wasn't surprised.

The rather ugly bald man with the case was surprised when she ganked him and hauled him out of sight, knocking him out. But even as she was taking the case from him, opening it up to look at the dagger, she ended up being surprised herself. She cursed herself for her sloppiness as it happened, as every muscle in her body seemed to suddenly fail, become like jelly, and she collapsed, hitting her head on a nearby shelf as she did so. She'd been too focused on the prize, and hadn't dealt with the Maggia leader, hoping to get in and get out quickly. It wasn't like a taser, not enough pain (well, save for a throbbing headache from where she hit the shelf), and her muscles felt loose and slack, not stiff and tense. She noted, distantly, the dagger dropping out of the case.

She was rolled onto her back, with the coldly handsome, even vaguely feminine features of Matteo Palamecia looking down at her with a cold, cruel smile on his face. And a glint in his eyes that was all too familiar. Though she had to wonder about the wooden wand in his hand. Despite all that, this was disinterring memories she didn't want to think about, and she hoped that whatever he had done to her would wear off in time for her to neuter him. Because she was pretty damned angry, partly at herself for getting caught like this, but mostly at this lascivious fucker.

"…So, a No-Maj thief thinks she can steal from me? Your audacity is probably one of the few admirable things about you. I mean, aside from your looks. Hmm…well, that curse I used on you should do for a few hours. It's not a standard Body-Bind. I prefer my bedwarmers to be pliant, not stiff, and…"

"_Expelliarmus._"

That word was hissed from behind, and suddenly, Palamecia was flung through the air, the wand arcing through the air. Palamecia scrambled to his feet, grabbing the dagger, while glaring at her saviour. "Do you know who you're dealing with?!"

"Do you?" her saviour, who was dressed in dark grey combat fatigues and a balaclava, asked. "Surrender."

Palamecia flung the dagger at his opponent, but the new intruder was quicker. He flung out a hand, and the dagger suddenly turned around in mid-air, and embedded itself in Palamecia's heart. "You shouldn't have done that," the newcomer said. Felicia noted, a touch abstractedly, that his accent was English.

Palamecia convulsed, before the dagger exploded from his chest in a fountain of gore, the blood spraying onto the ground with far more force than Felicia thought such a thing should. "…Oh bloody hell," the newcomer muttered. "Literally…" He put a hand to his ear. "Xolotl here. I'm sending Borghen back. No, Palamecia tried to kill me with the dagger. He got hoist on his own petard. Yeah, self-defence by Banishing Charm. Notify the Aurors. No. Yes, she did. All right. I'll tie up this loose end myself. After all, you know what curiosity does to cats."

With that, Felicia felt a thrill of fear as he approached her. He brought out a wand, and pointed it at her…before he waved it in a pattern. "…No concussion, thankfully, just a goose egg," he muttered, putting the wand away, before taking the dagger carefully and putting it in the case. He placed what looked like coins on that and the bald man, and they soon vanished. Then, he gingerly picked her up. She noted that he took especial care to avoid groping her. "Hold tight."

Suddenly, she felt like she was being forced through a straw, and then, they were elsewhere. In…a fairly normal apartment, actually. He took off his balaclava, revealing a handsome, if a touch scrawny young man with messy dark hair and emerald eyes. She did have to wonder why she didn't notice his glasses beneath the balaclava, though. "Sorry. I'm going to release the paralysis on you, Black Cat," he said, gently laying her down on the bed. "Please don't attack me or rob me before I have a chance to explain…or bring you some paracetamol and some cream for that bump."

He waved the wand, and she felt herself able to move properly again, to do more than breathe or move her eyes. She got off the bed, and gave him a wary look, even as she began noting where to flee, just in case. "Believe it or not, I do have some small sense of gratitude…Sholot?"

"Xolotl. And that's my codename. Excuse me a moment."

As he entered a bathroom, Felicia grimaced, partly at the headache, but partly at the situation. She didn't like being beholden to someone to save her. But as she said, she wasn't without a sense of gratitude, especially given that that would-be rapist nearly had his way with her, something that was even now stirring up bad memories. And while she was worried about what he could do, her instincts, honed by her profession, now told her that, while dangerous, he meant well. "Are you with Dr Strange or something? Only, you and that Maggia guy were using wands."

"In a manner."

"So, you're a thief too?"

"More like an unorthodox repo man," Xolotl said, coming out of the bathroom, and handing her a tube of something. "This'll help your bump on your noggin. I'll get the paracetamol in a moment."

"What do you mean? Don't you mean Tylenol?" Felicia asked as she followed him out of the bedroom. His body language suggested that he wasn't going to intend her any harm, but she wanted to be ready to flee if need be.

"Tylenol is what you Yanks call it," Xolotl said, fishing a packet out from a cupboard and handing it to her, along with a glass of water. She took the proffered painkillers and glass gratefully, and soon swallowed them, after giving them a quick look to ensure they were painkillers. "Now, I brought you back here because otherwise, the authorities would ask you very awkward questions. I was there to retrieve stolen goods and deal with the thief, while you were in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"And you swooped in like a knight in shining armour? How gallant," she remarked a little acidly. "Anyway, you could have worded it a bit better. The way you said 'tying up loose ends' and quoting that proverb about curiosity, I was worried I was going to get a cement overcoat, or whatever you'd do with that wand."

"…Sorry, poor choice of words. From what little I admittedly know of you, while you are an infamous thief, you generally don't take from those who can't afford it, and you usually steal from those of a criminal persuasion. I even heard from a friend you actually helped out Spider-Man with his vigilante work not so long ago."

Felicia winced at the reminder. For all the fact that she held a torch for Spider-Man, it was for him, and not the man beneath the mask. The one who wanted a normal life, and whose morality wasn't very flexible. Who wanted her to change her ways. A shame, really. "Your point?"

"You're a decent person, kleptomania aside," Xolotl said with a shrug. "Otherwise, I would have left you to the authorities. If you had stolen that dagger, you'd have called down the wrath of my employers."

"The Kingpin?"

"Worse. Bankers."

Felicia nodded in sage agreement. Some bankers _were_ worse than Wilson Fisk. "Bankers hired you to retrieve that thing?"

"They do a lot of antiquities trade, the legal stuff, but Borghen, the bald guy you knocked out, stole from them. It might not have been the first time. They work closely with the relevant authorities."

"Magical authorities, I'm guessing. You and Palamecia used a wand, and you said something about Dr Strange. Wouldn't surprise me one jot if we had some sort of magical shadow-government. And given that it's not public knowledge…I'm guessing they do some sort of memory tampering straight out of _Men in Black_. So, the question is…why are you telling me this?"

* * *

Harry wasn't sure himself. He had brought Black Cat back to his apartment to help her, and to explain things. But he also had this notion, something he thought he could do. An offer that, while she could refuse, might prove interesting to her. It was an impulse that might very well backfire, but he wanted to try.

"My employers don't care about your activities, as long as you don't steal from them. I think, tonight, you just had a touch of bad luck, which is weird, as it usually happens to people who come across black cats, not to the cats themselves. My job is to basically retrieve artifacts from thieves, usually of a dangerous, magical nature. Now, I'm not saying I am conscripting you, I know better. But you seem to have more raw skills and abilities for infiltration and extraction, while I rely more on my magic, and most of my work has been…shall we say rather loud and messy? While I am based in New York, I will be taking jobs around the Eastern Seaboard, and possibly overseas. I would like your help for such things."

"And if I refuse?"

Harry sighed. "Your identity is public knowledge. Felicia Hardy, daughter of Walter Hardy, if I recall correctly. It wouldn't take long for the authorities of the magical world to find you and erase your memories. That's probably all they'd do, they generally don't care about anything else as long as you don't rob magicals, but if you did rob them, that would change."

"I try to avoid that," Black Cat…no, _Felicia_ said. "I once tried to rob the Sanctum Sanctorum. It didn't end well, and Dr Strange found it amusing more than anything. I'd rather not go through that again…though if you're offering ways to rob them with less risk…"

"Less risk, but not _no_ risk," Harry said. "And keep in mind, it's still very dangerous."

Felicia shrugged. "What's life without some danger? Okay…I'll consider your offer. But keep this in mind: cats don't like being leashed. I'm no different. If I work with you and your employers, it's wholly on my terms, not anyone else's."

"…Okay. I guess that's all I could hope for," Harry said. "I'll give you my number."

"Thanks. Though what should I call you? You already know my real identity, and your willingness to show your face means something."

"…Call me Harry Potter," Harry said as he scribbled out a number and handed it to her.

"Harry Potter, huh? Dull name, but not a bad one. And…thanks for helping me. I don't like being a damsel in distress, but I appreciate the help. See ya." And with that, she dashed for the window, and leapt out. He watched as she fired some sort of compact grapnel device from her wrists, and was pulled through the air.

He wasn't sure why he offered her that work. Maybe it was a whim. Maybe it was being distracted by the way that bodysuit clung to her body in just the right way. Or maybe it was the offer of something interesting might actually give her something to do than painting a target on her back thanks to the worst New York had to offer. Perhaps it was even something to do with living dangerously.

All he knew was, on a whim, he'd taken something of a risk. He didn't know it, but it was a risk that would pay off…

**CHAPTER 3 ANNOTATIONS:**

**So, some more background as to why Harry is called Xolotl, and his first meeting with Black Cat. How they came to meet was something I debated with myself. I wanted him to rescue Felicia, but without making her seem weak or like a damsel. Simply put, she fucked up, nearly fatally.**

**Now, the game doesn't give that much background for Felicia, other than her father, not to mention her relationship with Peter. I decided to do something that may prove controversial. I intend to give her a not-dissimilar backstory to that Kevin Smith gave her in ****_Spider-Man/Black Cat: The Evil That Men Do_****. This is not, I should hasten to say, that she was a victim of rape, though she came very close to being one. She fought back, and unfortunately, suffered the consequences. We'll learn further details later, but my version of her backstory, while paying tribute to an interesting, if understandably controversial, origin story, I feel feels a bit more logical as to why she took up her father's mantle.**

**Harry is obviously not going to get into Felicia's pants…uhh, skintight bodysuit anytime soon, partly because of that, and partly because she's on the rebound from Peter. Then again, Harry's not looking for a close relationship himself. He's had two that went badly (Cho Chang and Ginny), and another that went back to 'just friends' (Silver Sable), and was stable that way. Plus, he barely knows her.**

**I think one thing that will draw Felicia to Harry is that he is a bit like Peter in his own way, marred by tragedy and with something of a hero complex, but by this point, Harry is beyond martyring himself. Unlike Peter, Harry is willing to overlook her stealing, as long as it's from criminals. Harry will be drawn to Felicia because she's a strong and intelligent young woman who is willing to challenge him, and unlike Silver (something Silver herself recognised), Felicia is not authoritarian. Silver recognised Harry being a free spirit, a maverick, whereas Felicia is a maverick herself. Plus, I think they recognise a sort of mutual thrillseeking behaviour in each other.**

**1\. Matteo Palamecia is a reference to Emperor Mateus of Palamecia from ****_Final Fantasy II_****.**

**2\. Borghen was based on the character of the same name, who was a quisling who helped Emperor Mateus in ****_Final Fantasy II_****.**


	5. Chapter 4: Of Cats and Spiders

**CHAPTER 4:**

**OF CATS AND SPIDERS**

Harry wasn't expecting a call back from Felicia so soon, and she had suggested they go to a café near the Empire State University a couple of days afterwards. He found that odd, but decided to go with it. He hoped that she would accept his offer. His superiors were surprisingly amenable to the idea, despite him, well, springing it on them out of the blue.

He dressed casually, and when he arrived, he was pleased so see that she did the same. It had been hard to see her eyes with those goggles obfuscating their colour, but they turned out to be a pale green. If anything, the T-shirt and jeans she wore accentuated her figure even more than her bodysuit. And her hair, out of her ponytail, framed her face rather nicely, just as much as it did in a ponytail.

Putting up some Privacy Charms after making their order, he said, "It's good to meet you again."

"Again? You sure we should be talking shop in the open?" she asked.

"Why ask me here, then?"

"Curiosity, despite what the proverb says about what it does to cats. The full proverb goes, 'but satisfaction brought it back'. Well, a variation of it, anyway. I just wanted to see what sort of person you were when not hiding behind a mask."

"You don't need to worry about eavesdropping. I cast a discreet charm. People can see us, but they can't hear our conversation beyond a sort of murmur. Not unless they're within a few feet, anyway."

"Handy." Felicia gently rapped the table pensively. Eventually, she said, "After that little experience, I decided to pay a visit to Dr Strange. You piqued my curiosity, after all. He told me quite a lot about you wizards, about MACUSA. And he told me quite a bit about you, how some warlock murdered your parents back in '91, and you became famous because you survived. Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived. You poor guy. Having to deal with that fame. Now, that sort of crap could have gone to your head, but I can tell it didn't."

"And why do you say that?" Harry asked, more than a little annoyed at Strange telling her these things. The drinks arrived just then.

"Believe it or not, a lot of theft isn't about going around in flattering bodysuits, dodging laser tripwires and cutting panes of glass out of display cases," Felicia snarked. "A lot of it is what is called social engineering. Basically, using deception and manipulation to get things you need, like vital information and passwords, that sort of thing. It's mostly applied to what cybercriminals do to get what they want with phishing, fake phone calls and the like, but I call doing it in person to ease the way the same thing. You have to be fairly good at reading people for that, especially in person, not to mention having to deal with people undressing me with their eyes. What I see…is someone who's gone through a lot of crap. Then again, Strange told me about that mess in Symkaria, how the wizarding equivalent of the UN called you a criminal."

"And you trust Dr Strange?"

"I trust him to be an authority on magic and to tell me the truth in these matters. Besides, a lot of what I've done is public record, unfortunately, whereas I know little about you. Wouldn't you want to know as much about me under such circumstances?"

"Yeah, you have a point," Harry conceded. "So, are you going to accept the offer?"

"Still thinking about it. Like I said, I don't like being leashed."

"Think of yourself as a freelancing consultant. As long as you don't steal from my employers, I doubt they really give a damn who you steal from. I'm not a professional thief. I just use magic to do what I need to. You, though, not only can you teach me, you could probably teach my employers how to tighten their security."

"Oh? That bit doesn't interest me per se, not unless I get to pretend I'm robbing their bank."

"Maybe. Just be warned, they use dragons for security."

"…You're kidding me, right? Like Fin Fang Foom?"

"More like a smaller Smaug," Harry said. "Anyway, how does that sound?"

"I have to admit, I'm liking it a little already. But would I get any side-benefits? Any expunging of my record with the normal cops?"

"Unfortunately, I can't promise that. I doubt Gringotts has that much of a reach anyway. I won't make promises I can't keep."

She nodded. "Smart. Anyway, it was just an idle musing. In any case…oh, look, it's the Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man swinging his way towards us."

Harry looked in the direction she indicated. Indeed, Spider-Man was actually swinging their way, or at least in their general direction. A lithe man in what looked like red and blue spandex, with a web-like patterning and a spider logo on the front, the mask covering the head only having a pair of eyes as a feature.

Harry had seen him before a couple of times. However, the few times Harry had seen him were glimpses, beyond what he saw in the media. This was the first time Harry had seen him in action, and close up, even if he was moving pretty fast. He passed them by, though Harry noticed that he seemed to take note of them both. And then, he was gone, receding into the distance.

"…What's he like? A friend of mine told me what she thought of him, but I'm curious about what you think of him. I mean, you two worked together before."

"…Friend? As in…girlfriend?" Felicia asked, before taking a sip of her coffee.

"Not really. It could have gone like that, but now, she's more like a sister to me. Besides, she likes to follow too many rules," Harry said.

"Huh. Well…he's nice. Earnest. Genuinely wants to help others, and self-sacrificing to a fault, and I do mean to a fault. The problem is, for a guy who basically breaks the law by beating up criminals, which is assault, he's got these annoyingly strong notions of morality. I'm sure that if he was there the other night, he'd go on about how you shouldn't have killed Palamecia. Plus, he has a bad habit of collateral damage, though it's pretty much always property damage and injury. But for all that…he's a good guy, and Jameson is an asshole for trashing his reputation. He might get the wrong idea if he sees us together, though."

"Why do you say that? Would it be he thinks we're both thieves, or that he's a jealous ex?"

"The former, obviously," Felicia said with a scoff. "While he's very much human under that spandex and the powers, he's too nice to be like some crazy ex-boyfriend. Even though too many idiots here hate him. He just soldiers on. That's why he makes all those jokes while fighting. I think it's to hide the sadness. Anyway, back to the offer. I'm still considering it. Strange gave me some books about Gringotts and the Goblins to…how do you Brits put it? Swot up? I heard that in a TV show once. I'm not a bimbo, I try to put some forethought into my decision-making. Between the cops, the likes of the Maggia and Kingpin, not to mention so-called heroes like Daredevil or Spider-Man, if you're stupid, you either end up in Rikers Island or the Raft…assuming you don't end up dead."

"And yet, you're a known thief."

"By reputation. The only ones to actually catch me in the act are criminals and Spider-Man," Felicia said. "The word of infamous criminals and a vigilante aren't enough to convict me, even if the NYPD tend to confiscate my gear. Between a lack of full evidence and a good lawyer, I've managed to stay out of jail, barely. Though it doesn't help that my father was an infamous thief. And frankly, I'm pretty much convicted in the court of public opinion."

"…Yeah, I've been there."

"Sounds like you've had an interesting life, in the cursed sense of the word. Then again, given what I heard from Dr Strange…never mind. You don't want to hear about it. Anyway…give me a week before I make a decision. And even if I say no, I may just come around to say hello. You interest me."

* * *

After some small talk, they parted ways. Harry had to admit, he enjoyed their talk. Though he had to wonder why Felicia, as smart and capable as she was, was reduced to the level of a criminal, even if she was a highly capable one. She was smart enough to have gone through university, he was certain. He sensed a story there, but didn't want to pry. He got the feeling it wouldn't end well if he did.

Instead, he decided to head to Octavius Industries. Since his initial meeting, he'd been there on and off. Otto was friendly, but the scientist was also somewhat guarded towards Harry at times. He called ahead to ensure he'd be let in.

Hermione let him in, and led him to a workbench where Otto was currently fiddling with something like a thick cable. "Where's Peter?" Harry asked. "Helping his aunt at FEAST?"

"He's gone to help Mary-Jane with a story, apparently," Hermione said. "He used to work at _The Daily Bugle_, and he had some notes relating to a story of hers. Something about Adrian Toomes."

"Who?"

"She means that criminal the _Bugle_ dubbed the Vulture," Otto said, finishing whatever adjustments, and turning to Harry. "Toomes was a brilliant engineer. So was Herman Schultz, better known as the Shocker. That they turned their undeniable skills to crime is a shame. In any case, Harry, I believe you've come at a rather interesting time. Have a look at this."

Harry did so, looking at the cable-like thing. "…Okay, so, what am I looking at?"

"In simple terms, artificial muscle."

"…You're kidding me," Harry said, prodding it gently. "So this is what you're going to be having in your artificial limbs?"

"Down the road, yes," Otto said. "For now, we're sticking to hydraulics and electrics for the sake of affordability, but this is the first step to making artificial muscle cheap and affordable. It's thanks to Peter and Hermione that I've made this breakthrough. Which is why I have decided to finally accept any funding you wish to give me."

"Uhh, sure." Harry frowned as he thought about it and his finances. Gringotts covered the rent to his place, and he had quite a fortune in both his vault and in shares managed by Gringotts. But he wanted to be sure. "I know it's probably a drop in the ocean as far as R&D is concerned, but would a million dollars help to start?"

After a moment, Otto smiled. "Of course it will. And what would you expect in return?"

"…For you to succeed?" Harry asked. "Look, Hermione's my friend, and she thinks highly of you. Plus, you're the underdog when it comes to the likes of Osborn, Stark and Richards."

"Right, right…sorry. I've just been through enough that I can't help but look gift horses in the mouth," Otto said with a wave of his hand. "I don't trust Osborn, and I've heard rumours that he's retained Sable International's services before, and as you had a relationship with Silvija Sablinova…I couldn't help but wonder what the catch was."

"Silvija goes where the money is, but she's a professional. If you had the money, she'd work for you and do it well. Besides, while I may have been in a relationship with her, I have never been in one with Norman Osborn. For one thing, I don't swing that way. For another…he's like a nicer Trump, though Trump sets the bar pretty low."

"And didn't I warn you the other day when you heard Peter talking about Harry Osborn?" Hermione said. "Norman Osborn may have done wrong by you, and by other people, but it doesn't mean that everyone who has any kind of relationship with the man is working for him."

"I know, I know, Hermione…it's just…" He looked to Harry. "We founded Oscorp together, even if he's probably scrubbed me from the corporate history," he confessed quietly. "But we had a falling out."

"Oh. I'm sorry. Let me guess…it's private?"

"And covered by several NDAs," Otto said with a nod of agreement. "Needless to say, we parted on very bad terms. I sued Norman, and he gave me a settlement out of court. But he has stymied me in many ways, whispering to potential backers, wanting me to come crawling back to him. I've been mostly reliant on grants ever since. I only established this company recently, instead working on self-funded research and development, supplemented by teaching at university. Hermione came along at the right time, and her knowledge impressed me. Peter was recommended to me by his aunt. May Parker and I knew each other once some time ago."

"And we've been making great strides. At most, we're two years away from a fully-functioning prototype of an artificial arm," Hermione said. "Complete with a neural interface. And Otto…he has ambitions to do more. I can't say anything more."

"That's fine. Making good artificial limbs with Hermione is a good enough reason for me to fund this anyway," Harry said. "Hermione always needed a cause to champion. They just wouldn't let her do it properly at home. Hermione will defend your cause to the end. I know she will."

"…I know that already," Otto said, "but it's good to hear that from one of her friends. And I can always count on her to play devil's advocate if she thinks I'm doing something reckless. I got a bit dogmatic about some of the materials choices, but she managed to argue for others. I'm glad she did…"

* * *

On the way home, Harry considered things. He'll have to get some of his money out, and perhaps find something to set up an investment for helping Otto keep some level of funding. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts, he nearly missed the figure in red and blue spandex landing near him.

But he didn't, and he looked up, meeting the white eye-lenses of Spider-Man. "Hey," the vigilante said, his voice sounding vaguely familiar. "What's up?"

"Nothing much. Why are you talking to me?"

"I was just swinging by when I saw you, and I remembered seeing you talking to Felicia Hardy earlier. And, well, they say curiosity killed the cat, and the same probably applies to spiders." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"…I hope you're not stalking either of us, Spider-Man. I'm not going to take that well. If Felicia wants to talk to you about it, talk to her. Or if you want to know more about me, go talk to Dr Strange."

"Stephen? But why would he…? Oh. _Oh_, okay. Look, I'm not here to start anything. If you can help Felicia stay out of trouble, then that's great. I don't want to stop crooks just to have them go to prison and break out. I want to help them change. I see too many crooks who could have done so much for the world. Anyway, hope to see you again."

"Hopefully, under better circumstances. Just know that I don't buy into Jameson's bullshit."

"Well, that's at least something. Sorry, got to go. No rest for the wicked!" And with that, he fired off one of his famous weblines, before launching into the air, swinging away.

"And even less rest for the good," Harry muttered, as he continued down the street. "Maybe that's why the good die young, because they drop dead of exhaustion when they're not pissing the wrong people off…"

**CHAPTER 4 ANNOTATIONS:**

**'Nuff said!**

**So, we've had Harry discussing stuff with Felicia, Hermione, and Otto, as well as meeting the Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man. Well, while he's in spandex, anyway.**

**Review-answering time! ****Jostanos****: You're confusing Borghen with Baigan. Baigan was the one in ****_Final Fantasy IV_****.**

**No numbered annotations this time.**


	6. Chapter 5: The Spider and the Wizard

**CHAPTER 5:**

**THE SPIDER AND THE WIZARD**

The next day, Dr Strange rang up Harry. The Sorcerer Supreme confirmed that both Spider-Man and Felicia had contacted him, and that Spider-Man wanted to talk to him, on better terms. He would give Spider-Man his address, but only if Harry consented. Harry, reluctantly, did so.

Not surprisingly, the first sign that Spider-Man had arrived was when Harry heard a rapping on the window. He went over and opened the window. "Hey there. It'd look strange if I just walked in," Spider-Man said.

"At least you knocked. Probably a stupid question, but do you want something to drink? Eat?"

"No, I'm good. Thanks anyway. I spoke to Dr Strange last night. He told me a bit about your life. I'm sorry. Felicia and I, we were a team for a while, so I do get worried."

"Felicia spoke pretty highly of you, Spider-Man, and so does an old friend of mine," Harry said. "So why did you want to meet me?"

"Dr Strange told me what you do for this Gringotts place. I've heard about MACUSA from him before. I'm not wholly on board with you basically being a mercenary, but if you're taking it back from people who shouldn't have it in the first place…"

"Yeah. I sort of became an expert at hunting down dark artifacts when I was seventeen. Did Strange tell you about Voldemort?"

"Yeah. Sounded like a magical Hitler."

"Long story short, he had these artifacts keeping him immortal, nasty things. I had to go on a treasure hunt of sorts to find the damned things. I'd actually destroyed one when I was twelve without knowing it. The problem was…my old mentor should have been the one to do it. Instead…he has me do it. I don't know why. He kept so much to his chest…I don't think he was evil, just a secretive, manipulative old bastard who buggered up my life while trying his way to stop one of the worst Dark Lords in the past century. And after that, well, I got involved in Symkaria. That was a clusterfuck of major proportions. Someone who was once my enemy at Hogwarts, and whose arse I had saved, decided it would be fun to frame me for the deaths of my friends, allies, and a bunch of Symkarian civilians. He made two mistakes. He didn't kill me, and he didn't count on Silvija Sablinova witnessing what happened."

"You killed people." The tone wasn't accusatory, but Harry did take some issue.

"It was war. People die in wars. I don't kill for the sake of killing. I won't lie to you, I've got scores of deaths that I personally caused. But I never killed an innocent, and I also ensure I don't kill save as a last resort. If you're worried about me taking after the Punisher, don't be. My days of being a hero may be over, but I'm not going to go all vigilante. If I kill someone, it will be in self-defence, like I did to Matteo Palamecia. He chucked a cursed dagger at me. I threw it back at him. And he had Felicia at his mercy. A killer and, by his words, a rapist. Personally, I would have tied him up and left the Aurors deal with him, but if you're telling me not to kill someone willing to kill me, and who is one of the worst kind of criminals you have to deal with…well, you need your head examined. In any case, I did try disarming him first. My usual first spell is one to disarm the opponent. That's when he threw the dagger at me. One used by Elizabeth Bathory to fill her infamous blood baths."

"I see."

"You disapprove?"

"It's not that. I'm sure you're telling the truth, and I'll ask Felicia about it later if I see her again. But…"

"…Spider-Man…my old headmaster, Dumbledore…he had a hard-on for redeeming people. I pretty much bought into it, until Draco Malfoy stabbed me in the back, and his mother turned most of Magical Britain against me. That's when I realised something. Some people are irredeemable, simply because they don't want redemption. All they want is forgiveness so that they can stab you in the back. And when you save people, they can be ungrateful twats. You know this better than anyone."

"…Yeah, I do, even if I wouldn't say it like that. But…I once stood by and let a crime happen in front of me. That backfired badly. Someone I loved died. Don't get me wrong, it was self-defence, what you did, but I try not to kill anyone, even in self-defence. Even leaving aside the morality of it, more than once, I was falsely accused of murder. And death's forever."

"And the afterlife looks like King's Cross Station. I've been there," Harry snarked. "Like I said, I'm not going to go all Punisher on New York's collective criminal arse. I'm doing a job, one which Felicia might be a help at, retrieving stolen or misplaced artifacts of a magical nature. If a crime happens in the streets, and I can do something about it, even if it's only by calling 999…sorry, 911 over here, I'd do it. Hell, if I could get away with it, I'd use a few spells to hang the criminals up by their undies from the lights."

"I'd call that cruel and unusual punishment, but I do web them up on lights, so…yeah. So…this is all awkward and stuff…so, you're a wizard?"

"And you've got spider powers. I mean, are the web things part of them, or…?"

"Oh, no, they're just gadgets. But I can climb any surface, and my senses and strength are enhanced," Spider-Man said. "I would probably prefer to be a wizard, but given what Stephen told me…well, MACUSA and Magical Britain both sound pretty corrupt."

"Nepotism and snobbery abound, Spider-Man. Keep in mind, magic doesn't make them like that. It's just all humanity's faults get magnified. After all, well, to modify something I heard from an acquaintance, with great power comes great irresponsibility."

This seemed to cause Spider-Man to wince (Harry only just consciously realising that the lenses on his mask seemed to grow or shrink, as if the actions of his actual eyes were being copied). "Yeah…I hear that. Too many people, when they get powers, go nuts with it. Hell, I did at first. Didn't do anything illegal or anything, just did these wrestling shows for money. And, well, I said what happened."

"Hmm. Is that why you go out and do what you do? Guilt?"

"…A little. But I also feel responsible. For people like my loved one dying because someone didn't take a stand, particularly when they were capable of doing that."

"…I once felt that way myself. But…I realised I can't save everyone, and those I do save tend to be ungrateful bastards anyway. Like I said, I'll try and stop to help, but I won't go out of my way to seek out crimes to stop. Besides, if I used magic to go out and stop crimes, MACUSA would be on my arse for exposing magic. To change that, I'd have to change the system, and I'd either have to become a politician, or a mass murderer. I've got enough of a body count already, and I despise politics. I just try to make my corner of the world better, and not to the masochistic degree you do."

"Do I look like a masochist to you?" Spider-Man asked, before he looked down at his suit. "…On second thoughts, don't answer that question, this definitely looks like a particularly colourful gimp suit. That makes a lot of disturbing sense about some of the guys I've fought, given their costumes and their getting into fights with yours truly. Annnnd now I need some brain bleach. Ugh, thanks a bunch. Anyway…I get where you're coming from. We're probably too different in some ways, but in others…well, you wanna be friends? I really, really want friends, and not just the sort you get on Facebook and Twitter. Felicia…I think of her as a friend."

"Does she know who you are? I mean, beneath the mask?"

"…Yeah. I did show her. I'm not going to show you, not yet. Maybe not ever. But…there's a few people who know who I am beneath the mask. But if too many people knew, well…my friends and family could get targeted. I don't care about what they do to me, but those I care about…" Suddenly, he tensed, and he put a hand to where his ear would be. "Hey, Yuri. Where's the fire, preferably a metaphorical one? Oh? Got it." In a low rasping growl, he said, "Spider-Cop's on the Case of the Evil Effects Maestro Mysterio, and…Yuri? Yuri! Oh for…sorry about that, Harry. I've got a friend who lets me know about some of the bigger emergencies, and, well, someone managed to give Mysterio an early parole. Gotta go."

"…Don't get killed out there, then," Harry said.

While he couldn't see Spider-Man's mouth beneath the mask, Harry got the impression that Spider-Man shot him a rueful grin. "I won't." With that, he jogged over to the window, and dived out, swinging away.

Harry, after watching him swing away, sagged down onto a chair. Spider-Man…he felt sorry for. True, he felt anger towards him for prying into his affairs based on Felicia, even if it was well-meant, as well as anger towards a judgemental attitude, even if it wasn't a patronising or antagonistic judgemental attitude.

And yet, here he was, trying to clean up New York, a thankless task if there ever was one. Having talked to him for long enough, Harry realised that Jameson was wrong and Felicia was right, that Spider-Man was selfless to a fault. A martyr to his ideals. Just like he had been. And despite all the shit that had been heaped onto him, Spider-Man still helped others.

While he was sitting there, he heard his phone chirrup, and he pulled it out. He couldn't help but smile when he saw the number. He went over to his iPad and activated Facetime for the incoming call. "_Szia_, Silvija."

The features of Silvija Sablinova showed up on the screen, her sternly beautiful features softened by her own smile. "Szia, _Harry._ _Sorry I did not call earlier, but I felt it better you get settled in first, and in any case, I am currently on deployment to Brazil. The IOC hired us to help bolster the security at the Olympics(__1)__._"

"So you're in Rio de Janiero?" Harry asked.

"Persze," she affirmed. "_We have had a bit of a hard time with the less-disciplined troops wanting to go down to the beach or go to the bar…ugh, I've had too much trouble with that particular squad before. The thing is, this is the first high-profile mission Sable International has been hired for, one that can show the world not only that Symkaria is recovering, but that Sable International is not just some untrustworthy band of mercenaries. And SHIELD is apparently keeping an eye on things too. There's that Zika virus outbreak, not to mention that terrorist group we just helped the BFD deal with. And I am not used to this heat_. Doamne, _it's all so irritating_."

"…Sorry I'm not there to help."

She waved a hand dismissively. "_You don't need to help me, Harry. As grateful as I am for your help in bringing an end to the conflict back home, I am no damsel in distress waiting for rescue like a lot of princesses are in stories. I appreciate the gesture, though. Incidentally, Obademi said to say hello._"

"Oh, did he?" Harry asked. David Obademi was a schoolteacher in Symkaria who ended up being part of Sable International, and had been one of Harry's best friends during the saga in Symkaria. He'd gone back to teaching since the civil war ended. "How's his class?"

"_Veritable little terrors_," Silver snarked, before her face fell. "_Unfortunately, as you know, many of them were orphaned in the wars. That school is part-orphanage._"

"I know, I helped build and fund it. But he's doing fine?"

"_Yes._"

"And you?"

"_As fine as I can be. I may not be worried for my country anymore, but running Sable International is no cakewalk, and with the eyes of the world on us while we are in Rio…sorry. I did not want to burden you with my troubles._"

"It's fine, Silvija…"

* * *

Over the next few minutes, they talked, with Silver first discussing recent events in Brazil, what little she could discuss anyway, before Harry told her of what he was doing in New York. Silver nodded as she considered this, frowning thoughtfully. "…_This Black Cat…do you think she'll be useful?_"

"She's an excellent thief. She just got in over her head when it came to those wizards."

"_You're not saying that because she's attractive?_"

"…While she is attractive, you know me better, Silvija. Just as I know you better to know that this isn't out of jealousy, but rather, you looking out for me."

"_Good, just so we understand each other. But I do worry. Black Cat is a career criminal, one who has only avoided actual jail time due to luck and cunning. Remember, more than a few of the black marketeers, the spivs you called them, betrayed our cause when it suited them during the civil war._"

"And just as many helped us, Silvija. Black Cat…I think she does it as much for the challenge and thrills as she does to get money. Now, if she's doing so for Gringotts, that also gives her some small protection, most importantly against the criminal elements like the Maggia. Keep in mind, they probably trust her even less now that she was working with Spider-Man."

"_Hmm. And Spider-Man? What about him?_"

"…He's like how I used to be, turned up to eleven, throwing himself into dangerous situations to save as many people as possible. I reckon Jameson is almost entirely wrong about him. About the only thing Jameson was right, aside from the collateral damage thing, was that Spider-Man loves the attention, just not because he's an attention whore."

"_Good. Earlier, you mentioned Dr Octavius, and his suspicion towards you for your links to me. It is true that we have done some small work for Osborn, though to date, it is mostly escort and protection details for his people in Europe and the Middle East. But Osborn has most definitely been hinting he may have bigger jobs for us if the situation calls for it. It's something that you should keep under your hat, obviously. Should we have need to come to New York, and I sincerely hope we do not need to beyond guarding our embassy there, I may need you to help me get an idea of what things are like on the ground. I care little for Octavius and his grudge, as long as it becomes nothing more than a business rivalry. But knowing the particulars of a battlefield, even if it's a metaphorical one, is a necessity for any army._"

"Hopefully you won't need it, especially if all you're coming to New York is to protect the embassy," Harry said.

"_I agree, but better to be prepared and not need it, than to be caught with…what's the English saying? With your trousers down? We may be being invited to New York later this year to guard the embassy, once the Olympics are finished. I cannot make promises, though. In any case, I should go. I'm sorry I cannot speak for longer, but I'm sure there's even more issues that have been brought to my attention. _Viszlát_, Harry._"

"_Viszlát_, Silvija. _Sok szerencsét_."

Silver merely chuckled. "_As I told you before, we make our own luck, Harry. It's all we can do_…"

**CHAPTER 5 ANNOTATIONS:**

**A nice little talk between Harry and Spider-Man, as well as Harry and Silver.**

**Spider-Man…it's probably because of the voice actor, but I am seeing a few uncomfortable parallels with one of Yuri Lowenthal's most famous voice roles, Suzaku from ****_Code Geass_****. Suzaku seems to be self-sacrificing to the point of suicide, and it does stem from the death of a loved one that Suzaku, like Peter, was responsible for. Of course, Suzaku is way more hypocritical than Peter. Peter may refrain from killing, but he's also far more aware and accepting (even if reluctantly) of moral greyness than Suzaku, and unlike Suzaku, works outside the system.**

**Harry and Peter may come to (metaphorical) blows regarding particulars, but they're ultimately allies and will be friends. Peter sincerely hopes that Harry can reform Felicia, or at least direct her talents into less objectionable activities, succeeding where he failed. Once Harry learns Peter's identity, he can act as a counsellor for Peter, with his own experience, and so can Hermione.**

**As for Harry and Silver Sable…well, the prologue at the start of the story and this talk is meant to show how different Silver is from her canon incarnation in the game. Because there is no civil war in Symkaria at the moment, she is under far less stress, which I think is a factor in how bitchy she is in the game. She's still a rather cold and hard professional, but she's perhaps far less trigger-happy and volatile than she is. Sable International is also a far better organisation, though as her comments about Rio de Janiero show, there's still some problematic parts of Sable International.**

**I did this because Sable in the game was a pretty nasty piece of work for most of the game. So too were her mercs. I felt she had way more capacity to be more sympathetic than she was portrayed, and her character arc was one of the few missteps made by the writers of the game. Hence this. Silver is still rather hard and authoritarian, but because she's under less stress due to her homeland being free, she's less likely to resort to more ruthless, Orwellian tactics. Or at least those that won't go down well in the US.**

**1\. The ****_Spider-Man_**** game is stated to take place in October-November 2018 (one mission has Spidey crashing a Halloween party, after all). Her comments date this chapter to late July-early August 2016. I thought it was a nice touch, with Sable International intending to show the world what they were capable of, partly for PR. And yes, the Brazilian Federal Police did actually bust an Islamic terrorist group in Brazil around this time.**


	7. Chapter 6: A Cat's New Job

**CHAPTER 6:**

**A CAT'S NEW JOB**

It was a month or so after she first met Harry Potter, and Felicia Hardy felt that there were worse situations she could be in. True, she caught him staring at her ass or chest more than once, but she was used to it, and encouraged it more often than not. One of her weapons, after all, was her sexuality. She had long ago turned what had been used against her into something she wielded. And to be fair to him, he didn't leer or let his gaze linger long enough to be creepy. He kept his hands to himself, too. He was just a straight guy (or maybe bi? Probably not, he didn't show any signs, but she couldn't rule that out) who knew what he liked, and knew to kept his hands and tongue to himself. House-trained too, which she thought funny, considering his Animagus transformation was a wolf. She'd made snarky remarks about cats and dogs, to his annoyance.

He wasn't as skittish as Spider-Man was, at least around her sexuality. Spider-Man was no virgin, she knew that much having slept with him, but he acted like it. Actually, sleeping with him was her way of overcoming what had been done to her in the past, and while it hadn't been wholly successful, especially given what happened that night with Palamecia, it also helped that she had at least given up her virginity not only willingly, but to someone who was a decent and sweet guy, even if he was so annoyingly moralistic.

Harry, however, took it in his stride, being more mildly irritated by it rather than skittish about it. He was attracted to her, yes, but he also seemed to look askance at her for her tendency to make things sensual. Not enough that he did anything about it, especially once she reeled it in a little. He seemed to view her more on her intellectual merits and her skills rather than her looks…or her criminal record.

And the fact that he was willing to learn from her was also heartening. Most wizards, she learned from Dr Strange (and something confirmed by Harry), looked down upon those without magic, calling them Muggles in Britain and No-Majs here in the US. This ranged from a mildly patronising attitude all the way to outright xenophobia that would make the likes of the Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan proud. What's more, with that Invisibility Cloak and a variety of stealth-based spells, Harry could probably sneak into Fort Knox and help himself to the gold there quite happily if he wanted to.

But he wanted to learn from Felicia, and Felicia actually found being a teacher interesting. Even more so, considering Harry was a pretty infamous figure amongst the wizards, especially in Britain. The way Strange said it, Harry had been like a messiah to those inbred morons. And yet, he didn't have much of a big ego, or at least didn't show it. He absorbed what she taught him, even if she kept a few things in reserve. She had to have some tricks up her sleeves, after all.

Of course, he could never be as flexible as she was. He was fit, true, and stayed fit, but he was nowhere near as physically flexible. That being said, he was a good fighter. Even without magic, he knew a variety of martial arts, taught to him mostly by Silvija Sablinova, the CO of Sable International, and the woman who usually went by Silver Sable these days was said to be one of the most skilled combatants in the world. Krav Maga, Defendu, the Russian martial art Sambo, stuff designed to take people down hard. She'd actually have to work harder to beat him, and of course, there was the whole magic thing.

Harry gave her a crash course in spells, but pointed out that, if she saw something like a jet of light heading towards her, ducking probably would be a good idea, no matter what colour it was (though day-glo green was apparently one she needed to avoid at all costs, what with it being an instant-death spell). She heartily agreed, it sounded like common sense, unlike those idiot Stormtroopers from the _Star Wars_ films. She was also taught the names of various spells, not so she could use them (she couldn't), but so she could identify what they were and thus what she was dodging…and there was, of course, the fact that some wizards shouted out the names and thus gave you enough warning. Harry did so himself, though he could do it silently. It was more ingrained habit than anything else to shout out an attack cry in what sounded like mangled Latin and Greek.

Still, she chafed a little at being, well, leashed. Which was why, when she accepted the offer, and met not only Harry, but a Goblin called Bloodknife (who seemed to laugh when she asked about why Goblins seemed to have such edgelord-like names), she ensured that they knew that she would be doing it on her terms more than their own…

* * *

_"Let me make this very clear," Felicia said, glaring down at the Goblin. "Strange told me that you guys are vicious and honourable warriors who despise thieves, or at least thieves who steal from your bank. You probably appreciate me being frank. I'm no housecat, nor do I take kindly to leashes. Harry here saved my hide, and he made this offer. It interested me enough that I'm taking it, and using my skills in a way that might help others. But I work here purely on my own terms. The only thing I'll concede is that I won't steal from you. Harry and Strange have made it very clear that is a Very Bad Idea. Now, I'm used to stealing from those who want to kill me, but if you don't screw me over, I'll play ball. Besides, I heard that you'd be interested in me testing your bank's security."_

_"We have been. Unfortunately, while I myself am well aware of the benefits and pitfalls of No-Maj technology, others do not. Magical protections have many benefits and pitfalls themselves, and made us complacent. Gringotts may pride itself on a lack of successful thefts, but it doesn't mean attempts haven't been made," Bloodknife said, his manner deceptively mild. But even though he wasn't human, Felicia knew that his mild and polite manner was a façade. He could give Maggia bosses lessons on how to be menacing while polite. "Harry here knows of one, the attempted theft of the Philosopher's Stone in 2001, and he perpetrated the only successful break-in in 2008, though given why, he was only fined for his troubles. I believe we need someone to shake us out of our complacency. And I do follow the misadventures of the so-called superheroes and supervillains of this city. Few thankfully know of us, aside from the Sorcerer Supreme and select members of the Avengers and the X-Men."_

_"I don't have any powers," Felicia pointed out._

_"And yet, you're a very successful thief in a city infested with people who have them, even excluding the wizards," Bloodknife pointed out, steepling his fingers. "To say nothing of the mundane criminal groups like the Mafia, the Maggia, Camorra, the Triads, and so on. Gringotts cares little for when humans steal from each other, save for where Goblin artifacts are involved. In any case, Harry suggested we list you as a consultant and freelance agent under his aegis. As long as you don't betray us, I am sure we can engage in a mutually profitable arrangement. And we can at least help keep the DMLE off your case in some cases, though the NYPD is another matter entirely. Of course, we can suggest a good lawyer, even if you have one already."_

_"I'll consider it. So, do we have a deal?"_

_"Here's the contract," Bloodknife said, handing it over. "And please read it very carefully. We exploit human greed and stupidity, but I'm sure you are not stupid. We'll deal with any amendments as needed…"_

* * *

Felicia did read the contract carefully. She wanted to be very certain of any holds they could have on her, and any loopholes both sides could exploit. And while there were a few things here and there that concerned her, she wasn't tied to Gringotts like Harry was.

In any case, here she was, on her first official mission with Gringotts, insomuch as their retrieval work could be considered 'official'. As it turned out, this was a relatively simple job, as their target was a 'normal' human, and an old man…albeit one who was an ex-Nazi. True, those were getting thin on the ground these days, what with World War II being seventy years in the past, and this guy was pushing a hundred…but there were still a few here and there.

The Goblins would have left it with the mundane authorities, especially as the man in question had many stolen artworks in his possession from Jewish families, and apparently was on SHIELD's radar for possibly being associated with HYDRA during the Second World War, but apparently, amongst them was an axe that had once belonged to Gringott, the founder of the bank she was now working for, even if as a freelancer. It had disappeared, apparently stolen by one of the associates of Gellert Grindlewald, who had apparently been a warlock who'd cause a lot of trouble in the Thirties and during the Second World War. How it ended up in the possession of this guy, who called himself Johann Schmidt, few people had an idea. Hell, they only knew because a wizard who worked at Gringotts was invited to Schmidt's birthday party, being a boyfriend of one of Schmidt's great-grandchildren.

The main problem was probably most likely to be mundane rather than magical…well, as mundane as anything HYDRA could cook up could be. Harry had detected no wards, but there were a number of other gadgets, and even without any technology, Felicia's trained eyes caught them. She peered through binoculars at the house in upstate New York. Nice house, expensive but not overly so.

"Okay…seems like this guy is more paranoid about security than we thought," Felicia murmured to Harry, who was watching through his own binoculars. "While there's some standard alarm systems, there's a lot of stuff that doesn't seem standard. I can just see some sort of energy field around the edges of the windows and doors. Most people wouldn't notice it, but…I wouldn't want to touch it. It's not electrified, either. If I had to guess…it'd probably make whoever tried to break in feel not so good. In a 'turning into dust' kind of way." She watched as a cockroach crawled onto the windowsill, and suddenly disappeared in a brief flare of blue light, leaving a faint wisp of smoke that drifted away. "Pick up that phone, because I called it. Saves having to call the cops and explain away corpses."

"What countermeasures are there?" Harry asked. "Would an EMP work?"

"Probably not. An energy field like that, from what I know, needs its systems shielded, and God knows if the EMP would interact with it badly. No guards, so he probably thinks he doesn't need any, or is senile. And he may have a backup generator, so cutting the power might not work."

"I did the research. He does have a backup generator. Can you break in?"

"You do know who you're talking to, right?" She turned to him and arched an eyebrow beneath her goggles. "So, the plan is, we break in, we take this axe, and we also take photos and scans of as many of the pictures as we can so that SHIELD and the authorities will receive an 'anonymous' tip-off about the artworks. So we're basically being used as SHIELD's catspaws for this?"

"Sort of. Schmidt went into hospital recently. SHIELD's currently comparing his DNA with known samples of HYDRA personnel. They're worried because Johann Schmidt was the name of the Red Skull, but Johann Schmidt is also German for John Smith, which, as you know…"

"…Is a common alias or pseudonym," Felicia concluded. "Right. Give me…five more minutes to examine the defences. Then, we'll head in…"

* * *

It was surprisingly easy. No nasty surprises like that botched job with Palamecia. What was more, she took point, and Harry listened to her instructions, only occasionally asking for an explanation.

True, there were plenty of defences, and many that would have stymied other thieves. But she took the lead, and while she did have him confirm what she already knew about certain defences, she had to admit, it was good to take the lead here. Of course, she wish she could have taken more than the axe, but the artwork had to be identified and given to its original owners, and while she had no compunction against stealing from Nazis or HYDRA agents, stealing from Holocaust victims and their heirs was another matter.

So it was that afterwards, she let Harry into her penthouse apartment, noting abstractedly that it was the first time she had let him in. Then again, maybe it was symbolic of her letting him into her life. The axe was sent back to Gringotts, and Felicia, removing her goggles, strutted up to her fridge. "You want something to drink?"

"Water or tea, please."

"Really? I have champagne, the good stuff. Might as well celebrate a successful job," she said.

"…I don't drink. The last time I drank, it was a disaster, and not in a fun way."

Felicia caught his bitter tone, and decided not to push it. "That bad, huh?"

"I ended up getting into a fight in a bar in Mexico. One that ended with said bar on fire," Harry said. "It was a shitty end to a shitty mission."

Felicia looked at him, and then went over to him, gently touching his cheek. "…I'd say you need drinks, but hey, I'd rather my place not get burned down."

"I'm not joking," Harry said quietly.

"…Neither was I."

As she went over to get some water for them both (she was actually quite thirsty herself), he said, "Felicia, do you mind if I ask something personal?"

"Sure. Just don't be offended if I don't answer you. We've only known each other for about a month, after all."

"…Why do you act as a thief? I mean, I know your father was the original Black Cat, but…you're a smart young woman, and I'm sure it's more than just money or thrills. Why be a thief?"

Felicia frowned, before handing him the glass, mentally cursing his own perceptiveness. "I won't answer that yet. Even Spider-Man doesn't know, and you, well…like I said, I haven't known you for long enough."

"You know a lot about my life," Harry pointed out. "Thanks to Dr Strange. I'm just curious, and yes, I know what that killed."

"You're a dog, not a cat," Felicia said, giving him a smirk, hiding her annoyance beneath her usual flirtation.

"A wolf, thank you very much. And Xolotl is a deity of death."

"A wolf is basically a dog that hasn't been tamed," Felicia said. "Don't misunderstand me…one day, I might tell you. But…it's very personal."

"Sorry, it's just…you know a lot of personal stuff about me."

"Yeah, I know, I sound like a hypocrite. Let's put it this way. There's only a few people I would even consider telling this to. You're not on the list, yet. But you could be. I want to be able to trust you enough, but trust is a double-edged sword, especially in my profession. Think of this as the first step. If this relationship becomes more than professional, even if it's a friendly one, I'll think about it. But…I guess I could tell you part of it. You see how much inequality there is in the world? The rich get richer, and screw over those beneath them. I guess you could say I redress the balance."

"Like Robin Hood?" Harry asked sceptically.

Felicia scoffed. "Please. I'm not that noble, and you know it. It's out of anger and distaste, not out of any altruism. I don't rob the rich to give to the poor. I just don't take from people who can't afford it, or actually do something good with their money. Look at Martin Li. I wouldn't take anything from him because of all the money he's putting into FEAST. I'd steal money from Jameson, but he'd pin it on Spider-Man, and God knows Spider needs a break from that hack with the insane moustache, the insane haircut, and the insane troll logic. Besides, he's not as wealthy as he makes himself out to be, even with the books he's sold and the money he made as editor on _The Daily Bugle_. I usually just send him Spider-Man onesies as a prank."

"So, that's your motivation? Sticking it to The Man?"

Felicia snorted. "Sounds like something from the Sixties or Seventies, but I guess you could say that. There's a bit more to it, but that's what falls under the personal stuff."

"…Okay, I'll leave it at that. Thanks for telling me that much, Felicia."

She hadn't really told him much, and he knew it. Not that it wasn't true, and she had told Spider-Man pretty much the same thing. But he was at least trying to be courteous and polite. "Look…like I said, one day, I might like you enough to tell you the full story. But I'm sure I don't know your full life story. You and Strange have told me quite a few things, but not everything, I know. I'll hold off on asking anything else, save for one thing. I know we're not an item, and we may never be…but are there any crazy exes I need to worry about? Ones who wouldn't make the distinction?"

Harry shot her a look, before downing the glass of water as if it was a glass of spirits. "…No, not that I know of. Two of them admittedly didn't end well, but one of them wasn't a stalker, and the other…well, she skirted the line. She was more oblivious to my feelings on the matter than actually crazy, and it wasn't helped by her mother encouraging her. The third…well, she was the one who broke it off, and we've remained friends ever since. If you and I entered into a relationship, though, and she found out about it and was in New York, she'd probably sit you down for a talk to find out your intentions. She's like a protective big sister."

"Anyone I know?" Felicia asked, before taking a sip from her own glass. Not that she expected any such answer. She only asked about exes because she was curious, and he interested her enough that she could be friends with him, even more. It was a serious question, albeit couched in facetiousness.

"Silvija Sablinova," he remarked, and judging by the smirk he had when she did a spit-take, he did that deliberately.

"…You're kidding me," Felicia said. "Silver Sable was your girlfriend? I mean, I knew you fought in Symkaria, and people were saying you were close to her, even trained by her, but not _that_ close."

"Don't worry," Harry said, with an impish smirk on his face. "She doesn't do…what do they call it in this country? Ah, yes, 'enhanced interrogation techniques' anymore."

_Oh Hell_, Felicia thought to herself. _Here I am, flirting with the ex-boyfriend of Silver fucking Sable. Well, damn. What's life without a little risk anyway?_

**CHAPTER 6 ANNOTATIONS:**

**Indeed.**

**Felicia will reveal her backstory later. The game was pretty coy about it, only leaving dribs and drabs. As mentioned before, it will be based on Kevin Smith's controversial storyline ****_The Evil that Men Do_****, albeit altered so that Felicia successfully fought back, though it ended up being a pyrrhic victory. She may have avoided being raped, but she got fucked over badly anyway, even if in a metaphorical sense.**

**It was also why I put in that bit about her sleeping with Peter Parker. This is actually canon to the game storyline (Felicia heavily implies that she had a son, and Peter is worried that it might be his, so they must've had sex at least once), but I changed the motivations slightly. It wasn't just because she wanted to have intimacy with someone she loved, or thought she did, but it was also a means of removing any actual fear of intimacy.**

**Oh, and before you ask, the ex-Nazi is NOT Red Skull. It's just some ex-HYDRA idiot who thought 'Johann Schmidt' would be a good alias, but got lucky thanks to the ratlines.**

**Review-answering time! ****WearyCurmudgeon****: You have a point, and I saw something similar in ****_Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows_****, where Peter, after making Regent laugh, muses that part of the reason he jokes and quips is to reassure people and to potentially make enemies vulnerable. In fact, he even thinks about how easy it'd be to kill Regent while he's laughing, and as sorely tempted as he is given how Regent threatened his daughter, he decides to show his daughter a better example.**

**It's also demonstrated at the end of the game. When the final boss is falling to his death, Peter expresses concern not for said person, but for the antiserum he's carrying, and only saves the villain because, well, if he didn't, a lot of people would come after him. But that final battle is not just draining physically, but emotionally.**

**No numbered annotations this time.**


	8. Chapter 7: Revelation

**CHAPTER 7:**

**REVELATION**

Five months in New York, and Harry could honestly say that it wasn't boring. True, the jobs he embarked on for Gringotts were not that frequent, with now three having been done, two of which had been with Felicia, not counting her being hired to test security at Gringotts' New York branch. Needless to say, she got rather embarrassingly far into the bank, and the head of the branch chewed out security over it, and Felicia was delighted not only to get a rather substantial amount of money, but her gloves' claws were reforged with Goblin steel tipped with diamond powder. Unless she got the likes of Adamantium, Vibranium or Carbonadium, it was unlikely she would get anything better.

Harry's relationship with her, while still tentative, was deepening. While she still flirted, and demurred when it came to her exact reasons for sticking it to The Man, he had to admit, she also seemed to know when to back off, and when to be serious. Harry got the feeling that she was feeling him out, trying to figure out what made him tick, and whether she should be friends. He felt the same way.

Felicia was…well, he hesitated to say an enigma. Many of her motives and motivations were transparent. She was a beautiful and intelligent young woman whom, he was sure, could easily have gone to university and gotten a degree. And yet, she was a thief.

He wondered if the trigger was the death of her father. That was a possibility, as Walter Hardy had died in an escape attempt from Rikers Island. Or at least, that was what the official story claimed. Harry hadn't brought up the story of his godfather with Felicia, about how Pettigrew faked his death. Felicia did know, albeit through secondhand sources, that her father had ended up being approached by the Maggia, and that he may have let himself get arrested to take the heat off his family.

But Harry got an impression that there was something more to it. True, it could have triggered a desire for revenge on the Maggia and their ilk, but Harry got a somewhat different impression, something more than just the death of her father. And Harry made it a point to do a bit of research into her father, albeit discreetly.

Of course, that little problem had to take a back seat at one point, thanks to one particular day…

* * *

One day, Harry came to Octavius Industries, more to see Hermione than anything else. But when he entered, having been given a 'guest' keycard of sorts, he only found Otto there, assembling a device. He looked up, and smiled. Ever since Harry donated some money, and Hermione had called him out on his paranoia, Otto had been less guarded and more relaxed, allowing more of his natural geniality to shine forth. "Ah, Harry…you just missed Hermione. She was taking Peter to the roof."

"Why?"

"Peter was late again, and Hermione took issue with it. Hermione's got a rather sharp tongue to go with her sharp mind. Could you do me a favour and make sure she doesn't tear too many strips off him? I'd stop her myself, but for one thing, well, I know what it's like to be on the receiving end of a tongue-lashing from her, and for another…well, this little device is VERY exciting, and I want to concentrate on finishing it, and stopping Hermione might hinder that."

"Okay, fine, but stopping her once she gets her mind set on something is nearly impossible, you know that?" Harry remarked, even as he left Octavius Industries and headed for the roof of the building. He heard a rueful chuckle of agreement from Otto just before the door to Octavius Industries closed, though.

As he did so, he felt the telltale signs of a Muggle-Repelling Ward and a Privacy Charm. Resisting them, and opening the door to the roof, he saw Hermione, back facing Harry, pointing her finger at a startled-looking Peter. "…As bad as Harry with your saving-people thing, if not worse, and just because you have spider powers doesn't mean you can nearly kill yourself while helping the people of this city!"

"Uhh, Hermione?" Peter asked, noticing Harry's entrance.

"Don't you 'uhh, Hermione' me, Peter Benjamin Parker! And don't misunderstand me, you do a lot of good work as Spider-Man! Jameson can go to Hell! But it's clear to me that you don't have a healthy work-life balance, especially as you seem to be balancing two jobs, one as a scientist here, and the other as a vigilante! If Harry was here, he'd…" Finally noticing Peter's significant looks behind her, she groaned. "…He'd be right behind me, and he heard that, didn't he?"

"Yes, yes he is, and he did," Peter said with a resigned sigh.

Harry was staring at Peter flatly. Suddenly, a thousand piece jigsaw puzzle was falling into place. While Spider-Man's voice and Peter's weren't absolutely identical, they were similar enough that they could be the same person. Height and body type were about the same too. He facepalmed, before he said, "Okay, well, I think before we get into a major explanation of whatever the hell happened, I think Dr Octavius needs some help on whatever gadget he is working on. I think this can wait for a more private setting. What with Peter being one of this city's most famous vigilantes, anyway. Oh, and Hermione…have you told him about what we are? As in Statute of Secrecy stuff?"

"…No. I didn't use a wand to set up those wards."

"Well, he knows. He spoke to Dr Strange about me as Spider-Man, though I don't think he knows you're a witch."

"…I sort of figured…I mean, you two said you went to school together," Peter said, a little sheepishly.

"…Okay, well…you know what, fuck it. Dinner at my place, tonight. And don't be late," Harry said, giving Peter a look. "You have any food allergies?" Peter shook his head. "Ever try Symkarian food? No? Well, I got a taste for it there…"

* * *

Thankfully, Peter wasn't late. Harry ensured he had the food cooked before the young man arrived, though, just in case he had to rush off to be Spider-Man, and he was ready to use a stasis charm on the food if Peter actually was late. Instead, he and Hermione arrived on-time, and they soon had the meal.

Afterwards, Peter said, "So, this stew…it's Symkarian?"

"Technically, it's Romanian. _Tochitură_. Because Symkaria is sandwiched between Hungary and Romania, with Latveria as a neighbour, well, you've got all sorts of influences, on the language, the cuisine, the culture, you get the idea. Of course, this isn't quite like a Romanian _tochitură_. Different sauce, different cheese, and so on. One of the things I did in Symkaria was work in a kitchen for the people there, a bit like FEAST, but in a warzone. Pretty basic, and I wouldn't have been able to cook this in such quality, but…"

"Sounds like hell," Peter said.

"It was. Symkaria's peaceful now, but not so long ago…well, war is hell. It's a cliché, but true." Harry then peered at Peter. "So, you're Spider-Man."

Peter nodded. Gone was the nervous and skittishness from before, and he had to wonder how much of it was an act, and how much of it was from pressure from maintaining his dual identity. "Yeah."

"The one you said who had died, the one who spurred you to become a vigilante…that was your uncle."

"Yeah. It was so stupid…I got into an argument with him, and that was the last time I saw him alive. The thing is, I was doing that wrestling thing I told you about. The promoter stiffed me, and, well, a robber stole the takings, and I let him get away. But the same robber was the guy who killed my uncle."

Harry looked at Peter. Now he understood it, the guilt, the pain. What drove him. "…At least your uncle was a decent person, from what I heard. Maybe too preachy, but compared to my uncle, he at least cared about you. Same for your aunt. She's easily one of the most decent human beings I've ever met. Peter…I honestly say I can understand why you do this. I've felt the same way, especially when I was at Hogwarts. But…over time, the ingratitude of the people of Magical Britain, either wanting me to be a hero to clean up their own goddamn messes, or else thinking me to be Voldemort's second coming…it got to be too much for me. Your uncle said that with great power comes great responsibility. Try telling that to the wizards. Even when they try to help Muggles, they fuck it up. Or they don't want to, out of spite or some sense of superiority, and those who want to help…they lock up or silence. Symkaria was the last straw for me. Like I said, I'll help out if I see someone getting hurt in the streets…but I won't go seeking out crime and trouble to stop. I want to try and enjoy my life, not martyr it for the ungrateful."

"…And Felicia?"

"Think of it as me giving her a chance to channel her talents into something more people can accept. Frankly, as long as she only steals from criminals and corporate pricks, I'm fine with that. Does she know who you are?"

"She's one of the few who do. MJ does, she learned last year," Peter confessed. "The Avengers and Dr Strange do as well, along with a few of the X-Men, and a blind lawyer called Matt Murdock, though I don't know how he figured it out. I think he might be Daredevil, but I don't know for sure."

"How did you figure it out, Hermione?" Harry asked.

"After Peter got to work late one morning, I saw that Spider-Man had stopped the Shocker earlier that morning. I just thought it odd, but I realised that, a lot of times when Peter was late, Spider-Man does something very public. Now, that in itself doesn't mean much, as there are times when the crimes Spider-Man stops causes traffic problems and disruption to public transport, but I realised the voice was similar. Spider-Man also appeared eight years ago, around the time Ben Parker died. Admittedly, it's all circumstantial, but still…I had a big hunch. I'm surprised not many people joined the dots, but, well, while you're Peter, you're pretty quiet and humble. As Spider-Man, well, you're loud and jokey most of the time. I doubt people would think of you like that the way you are now."

"Is this where you're going to tell me to give it up or something? Because I won't. I can't. I'll never be able to rest if I know I'm idle while people like Kingpin or Rhino or Vulture cause problems," Peter said, looking up at them. "I'd rather die than give up being Spider-Man. It's too much a part of me now. I know you won't, or can't do what I do, especially with how MACUSA view wizards interfering with normal society…but I want to. I need to. And keep in mind…why do you think I wanted to join Dr Octavius? It's not just because he's my idol. Or rather, it's because he's my idol, for all the right reasons. He wants to change the world, for the better. Just like I wanted to, and just like my friend, Harry Osborn, wanted to."

"That's Norman's son, right? I've met Mary-Jane and your aunt, but where's Harry Osborn?" Harry asked.

"Just after you arrived in New York, he was sent off to Europe by his father, supposedly to help run Oscorp interests there," Peter said. "I was gonna introduce you guys, but, well, his departure was so sudden. I'm actually maintaining some research stations he and his mother left behind. A lot of it's to do with air and water pollution. His father, for all that a lot of people think he's sleazy…he's been nothing but nice to me, and genuinely so. To Spider-Man, well, not so much, but…Hermione got Dr Octavius to talk to me about their history. We've come to an understanding. Anyway, my point is…I want to help others, not just as Spider-Man, but as Peter Parker."

Harry shared a look with Hermione, before he looked at Peter. "…You're a bloody idiot, you know that? But you know what? I've been there before. Been there, done that, beaten the Neo-Nazi warlock with delusions of grandeur and immortality. So, look…given how _spectacular_ your time management skills have managed to be, if you need a place to stay or crash at, my door's open. Also, I learned quite a few healing spells and potions, and given that, as a vigilante, going to hospital might not end well, I'll do what I can. That being said, if you come across Felicia and I doing a job, try and stay out of it. We don't target good guys with our work, unless they're idiots without magic who ended up with a stolen dark magical artifact. Hell, if there's a bunch of armed bad guys gunning for us, I'd appreciate the backup. And if you need something bought like a laptop or something, I'm fine."

"Look, I appreciate it, and I'm actually quite grateful for the offer of medical help, but…I don't like being given handouts."

"Peter, I'm not doing this out of pity. I am doing this because you work so long and so hard, in a thankless job which is practically volunteer community service, while doing actual paid work on the side. Gringotts covers the rent for this place, taking it out of my vaults, and I am actually a multi-millionaire. I'm not going to be paying you a salary or anything or paying your rent all the time, unless it comes out of what I fund Otto with. What I want to do is help you, make your life a little easier. Because, let's face it, aside from your aunt, Mary-Jane, Hermione and Otto, who helps you? Hell, who actually helps Spider-Man? Who's there to save you when you're saving others? I'm not going to be out there fighting crime with you, but I can at least help you. Because Merlin knows I needed people like that, and the list of people I did have is pretty short. And, well, your uncle said that with great power comes great responsibility. I'm sure you're a great responsibility."

"…Thanks," Peter said. "I'll consider it. But I won't ask for anything all the time. I'd rather make my own way."

"Peter, that's why I continue my work at Gringotts. I could live off my money for the rest of my life, but…I want to do something more. Keeping dangerous artifacts out of the wrong hands pretty much fits it. And there's no point in keeping my money all to myself, hence my giving it to Otto and to FEAST. Your aunt and Martin Li do great work there. Your uncle would be proud, but I'm sure he'd also be shaking his head with worry at what you're doing too. So…even if it's just letting me give you some medical attention, let me help you. Hell, if Hermione's willing, she can help too."

"Of course I am!" Hermione said, sounding offended. "Peter…your lifestyle isn't healthy, but I understand it. Harry and I…we've been there before, alone, the world against us, fighting evil because it needed to be fought. And I know that you keep your identity secret to protect your loved ones. But…you need others to help you, even if it's to make sure Spider-Man doesn't eat your life up whole and spit you out like so much gristle."

Peter digested this, before he finally nodded. "Okay. Look, we'll talk about this later. But…thanks, both of you. For a lot of things, though this food was great. Did you learn to cook in Symkaria?"

"I learned to cook Symkarian food in Symkaria," Harry said, thinking back to the Dursleys. "Let's just leave it at that for now…"

**CHAPTER 7 ANNOTATIONS:**

**Now, I'd always intended for Harry and Hermione to learn of Peter's identity prior to the events of the game. I decided to write it like this on a whim, and it feels better this way. Hermione, I reckon, is smart enough to figure it out, even if it's based on circumstantial evidence, and having Harry accidentally barge in on the confrontation sounds like Potter Luck and Parker Luck converging in interesting ways.**

**Anyway, now that Peter has a couple of people he can trust with his secret and who can help him, even if it's only with healing, it might help his current situation. Because as good a person as Peter is, his situation is far from healthy.**

**Review-answering time! ****Dragon Man 180****: Silver Sable and Black Cat don't look that much alike, beyond being hot women with silver hair who can kick arse, so Harry would probably tell the difference fairly quickly, especially if they talk (in fact, if Harry is confused, all he'd have to do is speak in Symkarian and watch who responds or reacts). Plus, I doubt Silvija would be caught dead in Felicia's bodysuit, even if it's more covering than the comic version. Speaking of…**

**Leicontis****: I don't know how much you know about the video game's take on Felicia's costume, but it looks closer to an armoured bodysuit that actually covers more of her body (pretty much everything barring her head, compared to the cleavage-baring catsuit from the comics) and actually looks like it could stop a bullet or two. Most of the fanservice comes from the fact that one, Felicia has a very sexy body beneath it, and two, she likes taking poses that emphasizes her sexuality, probably to manipulate Peter. However, I reckon normal clothes on the game's Felicia would make her look sexy, albeit in a normal clothes kind of way. She'd look good in a lot of things. The comics show this to be the case, so I thought, why not the game?**

**No numbered annotations this time.**


	9. Chapter 8: Curiosity Doesn't Just Kill

**CHAPTER 8:**

**CURIOSITY DOESN'T JUST KILL CATS…**

"Excuse me? I need you to repeat what you just said. I mean, I'm sure I don't have hearing problems, but I'm worried that I misheard you."

Felicia fought down a surge of anger at what Harry had said. That he had an odd notion that her father was alive. But to his credit, he held up his hands. "Would you at least let me explain first before you use me as a scratching post?"

Eventually, she nodded. She'd come to his apartment in Greenwich Village for dinner, a not-quite-date. To have this thrown at her out of the blue was, admittedly, somewhat disconcerting, hence her anger. She didn't like people prying into her life anyway.

Harry then tapped the table. "It was a hunch more than anything else, based on something that happened. Now, I'm sure your father did it for better reasons than the man I'm about to tell you about. If anything, I reckon he did it to protect you. That's assuming my hypothesis is correct."

"Hypothesis, not theory," Felicia said approvingly. "So, hit me with this…_hypothesis_."

And so, he told her of Peter Pettigrew, a man who was a friend of the family's. A man who was chosen, above better known friends, to be the Secret Keeper of the Potter family's safehouse. But they chose poorly. Pettigrew, out of cowardice, betrayed their whereabouts to Voldemort, even having been a spy in the Death Eater camp for some time.

Sirius Black, who had been publicly claimed to be the Secret Keeper, went after Pettigrew in revenge. Unfortunately, Pettigrew faked his death, setting it up so that Sirius would take the fall, as only a few other people knew Pettigrew rather than Sirius was the Secret Keeper, and the ones that did were dead or shipped off to prison. Pettigrew spent years in hiding as a rat, his Animagus form, masquerading as a pet in the Weasley family. It was only Sirius Black seeing a picture of Pettigrew via a newspaper picture that catalysed the events leading to Sirius' escape and Pettigrew being revealed, even if Sirius was never exonerated.

"My point is," Harry concluded, "the wizards believed that Sirius must be guilty and Pettigrew must be dead because Pettigrew managed to pull the wool over their eyes."

Felicia frowned. "Aren't the wizards inbred idiots anyway?"

Harry just gave her a look. "Felicia, _humans_ are idiots. Magic and inbreeding only exacerbates the issue. Or do I need to show you Jameson and his followers?"

"…Point," she conceded. "Okay, but still…while I'm insulted you're comparing my Dad to this Pettigrew guy, I'm sure you're getting to the crux of the issue."

"Well, I got curious about it because they never found a body, did they? If they did, they would have done DNA testing, it's not so far back that, if the body was unidentifiable, they couldn't use it."

Felicia considered this. "Okay, that's a good point, but the currents were pretty awful at the time, so I was told, and I know the weather was. Rikers isn't that far from the shore, though, and my father was a decent enough swimmer, but that doesn't mean anything, not in the middle of a raging storm."

"…Yeah, but given how good your father was, why did he get caught in the first place? The police never even got close before. Now, I actually asked Medea Graves of the New York DMLE, and as it happens, she was actually there at the time. Your father's last job was on a Muggleborn witch's household. She couldn't find work in MACUSA, so she made it big as a wheeler and dealer on Wall Street. Now, Medea actually interrogated your father with Veritaserum at the time, to see if he was aware of MACUSA. He wasn't. However, he did divulge something interesting. The Maggia were trying to conscript him, and he kept refusing. He was worried about his family being targeted as leverage."

Felicia's eyes widened. While she did remember her father mentioning something about the Maggia taking an interest in his activities, she never thought it was that bad. "Well, that means one of three things," Felicia said.

Harry nodded. "Firstly, that your father actually did die that night, either by drowning or killed by the Maggia. Secondly, the Maggia or another criminal group succeeded in kidnapping your father and forced him to work for them, with your life as leverage. And thirdly, your father faked his death and is living under a false identity, presumably to help keep you safe from the Maggia."

Felicia snarled quietly to herself. "…Why did you have to dredge that up?"

"…Because I know what it's like not to have parents, and I would do anything to see them alive again. I wasn't trying to pry, it was just…"

"Curiosity, even though it killed cats. And no doubt a lot of dogs."

"I'm a wolf Animagus, Felicia."

"Just…shut up a moment and let me process it, okay?" Felicia said, pinching the bridge of her nose. Eventually, after a moment, she said, "Okay, I'll be honest, I'm not that happy you went behind my back like this, even if you had good intentions. But then again, I went and spoke to Dr Strange about you, so I guess I can't throw stones. Okay, so…is there some magical way I can tell whether my father's alive or dead?"

"There was one I had years ago, the Resurrection Stone. It's not what you think, it just calls back whoever you want from the afterlife as a shade, and if they don't come back, they're alive. But…I chucked it away. There's an easier way, which Gringotts can do."

"And what's that?"

"An Inheritance Potion test. Basically, wizards managed to figure out a way to do DNA testing long before DNA and genes were even discovered by Muggles," Harry said. "Then again, most wizards would think DNA is some weird foreign word. Anyway, the Inheritance Potion requires a drop of your blood. It then determines whether you have any magical inheritance, as well as the state of your immediate family, whether they are dead or alive. Hermione took one once, and found she was actually a descendant through her father of a Squib cadet branch of the Dagworth-Grangers, a minor Pureblood family that is, save for her, virtually extinct."

"And can normal humans take these tests?"

"Oh yes. All they need is a bit of blood, and that's it," Harry said. "They drip the blood into the potion, and it sets off a magical quill that writes out a family tree. Felicia, I can't guarantee that he's alive, only that I'm suspicious about his so-called death. The choice to take it is all yours. And of course, after that, we'll have to figure out a way to contact him without arousing suspicion, assuming you want to contact him."

Felicia nodded. "…Can I think about it? I mean, if what you said is true, I could lead the Maggia to his doorstep, if we're not careful. I'm pretty sure my father left caches of the stuff he stole around the city, and the Maggia would try to interrogate him for those at the very least."

"Sure. It's up to you. I only brought this up because, well, something about it set off my BS Meter."

"…I suppose. So, any word on a new caper?"

"Not yet. And this isn't _Ocean's Eleven_ or _Now You See Me_," Harry snarked.

"No, it's _Black Cat and the Wizard with the Aztec Death Deity Codename_," she snarked back.

"…Not a very catchy title," Harry said. "Besides, blame Gringotts for that catching on. They love vicious deities with hard to pronounce names like Xolotl. Half their cursebreakers in Britain have the names of Irish deities and heroes, and, well, when you think of Cú Chulainn, you think it's pronounced 'Cuckoo Lane', not 'Coo Hoolin'."

"Wasn't he Lancer from _Fate/Stay Night_ or something?"

"Yeah."

Felicia nodded. "By the way, a certain Spider told me that you know who he is, or at least what his name is when he takes off the mask."

"Yes. Interesting choice of words there."

"You ever study psychology? I've dabbled, and one thing I found fascinating is Carl Jung's concept of the persona. The persona is a sort of mask we wear to present ourselves to the world, and to conceal part of our true nature. Building on from that, when people like me, or Spider-Man, wear masks, we take off the psychological ones, become closer to our true selves."

"…I agree and disagree, Felicia," Harry said. "Don't get me wrong, I agree wholeheartedly with Jung's theory, and I know people change when they think their identity is concealed. For example, Hermione told me of something called the Online Disinhibition Effect, where people's behaviour change due to the alleged anonymity of the internet. One webcomic called it the Greater Internet Fuckwad Theory."

"I've heard of that."

"My point is…when you have on the mask, you ooze all seductiveness and sensuality, but that's not you. You're a beautiful and sexy woman, true, but…you do all that flirting because it helps you get what you want, helping distract your enemies and targets. And you do it to troll people too. Spider-Man, like you said before, he jokes to hide his own pain and misery. And as for me…I may seem brave, but I'm not. I'm tired and sometimes, too scared. I sometimes have nightmares of what happened in my life. I'm sure I have some sort of PTSD."

"Don't wizards have shrinks?" Felicia asked, her concern piquing.

At this, Harry scoffed. "They have Mind Healers, but those are for helping damage caused by magic to the brain, and in any case, they use Legilimency to do their work. I've had…bad experiences with that."

"Legilimency?"

"…In very simple terms, mind-reading via magic rather than psychic powers," Harry explained reluctantly. "It's…a bit of a painful tale I don't want to share, at least for now."

Felicia nodded, making a mental note that, if their relationship ever reached a strong enough stage to allow them to share their darker moments, to ask about that. "You haven't sought help?"

"While I was in Symkaria, Silver Sable helped. She'd been pretty much a child soldier herself, and she also found me a psychiatrist whom I was able to talk to about my experiences in Symkaria, carefully edited, of course. And…Hermione's always been someone I could talk to. I do still have a few friends back in Britain. Luna Scamander, Neville Longbottom, Andromeda Tonks and my godson, Teddy Lupin, George and Bill Weasley, Fleur Delacour…and that's about it. Do you have any friends?"

"Not many. Like you, I lost a lot of so-called friends. Part of it was due to my father's reputation, especially once it became public. And the other part…well, like you, I discovered who my friends really were. You and Spider are pretty much the only friends I have, and even then, our relationships aren't exactly normal ones. I'm a master thief, Spider-Man's a super-powered vigilante, and you're a wizard suffering from PTSD. They're teetering on the edge of being dysfunctional if not there already."

"…I'm sorry to hear that, Felicia, I really am. I hope we can be good friends if nothing else."

Felicia snorted quietly. "If it were anyone else but you or Spider saying that, I'd be worried about the one saying that because I'd think they'd want to get into my pants. But you actually mean that, don't you? If it weren't for the fact that you do semi-legal theft and tomb raiding, you'd be a quintessential British gentleman."

"They consider James Bond to be a quintessential British gentleman, and yet, he's got a list of affairs as long as his arm, kills a lot of people, and, well…can't complain about the gadgets part." Harry then looked at Felicia, his emerald eyes boring into her own. "Felicia…about Spider-Man…you won't out him, will you?"

"Of course not!" Felicia snapped. "Look, the world's too interesting with him in it. Peter Parker might be a bit of a boring nerd, even if the stuff he's working on with Hermione and Octavius sounds neat and, frankly, something they should win a prize for, but as Spider-Man, he makes the city a better place, and a more interesting one. The problem is with Spider-Man is that he wants to have his cake and eat it too, not to mention that annoying morality. Unlike you, he wanted me to stop stealing entirely. Stealing from criminals is as much retribution and karmic balance as it is beating the tar out of them and webbing them up. At least he focuses more on actual criminals, ones who do more to harm this city than I do. I loved him, or rather, I loved who he was when he has the mask on. But…he's trapped in a web of responsibility."

"What's wrong with responsibility?" Harry asked.

"Responsibility is something the bad guys will _never_ feel, Harry. They're beholden to nobody but themselves. And not all bad guys dress up in costumes or play gangster like they're straight out of _The Godfather_ or _Goodfellas_. Norman Osborn, for example. Mayor of New York now, and still pulling the strings of Oscorp. And he claims that Oscorp's secrecy is key to avoiding corporate espionage. That's a load of crap. I'm sure he hides a lot of dodgy business deals and experiments that way. Wilson Fisk hides all his gangster trappings beneath being a legitimate businessman, and he's pretty successful at it, and it's only Spider-Man stirring the pot that actually exposed any doubt. Justin Hammer, almost everyone is sure is after Tony Stark and Iron Man, but nobody can prove it. General 'Thunderbolt' Ross is in all likelihood as responsible for the Hulk's rampages as the Hulk himself is, poking a sleeping beast, and not caring about the collateral damage, blaming it all on the Hulk. Superheroes don't really cure the disease in society, they just treat the symptoms, and I get why. If you had superheroes take over, what would happen then? I doubt they would act _responsibly_."

That last word came out more bitterly than she intended it to. And then, Harry said, "Yeah. But we should, where we can. Look, I don't buy into taking it to the extremes that Spider-Man does…but Hermione told me more than once that I have a saving people thing. That's part of the reason I do this work for Gringotts, ensuring nasty shit doesn't end up in the wrong hands. Plus, it's fun, in a masochistic kind of way, and you meet interesting people." He nodded towards Felicia pointedly. "The thing is, responsibility is one of the things separating good guys from bad guys, for the most part. Not the only thing, and I'm sure there's some bad guys who have some twisted kind of responsibility, but still…"

"You still put things as good guys and bad guys?" Felicia asked.

"Sort of. I know the world's got shades of grey, but…look, I know you have this bad girl act going, and it's mostly sincere, but you're not _evil_ by any means. At worst, you're a bit self-centred. Believe me, I've known worse people, to my regret, and we're not talking people like Voldemort. Evil can be so mundane, like…never mind."

He seemed to catch himself before letting slip something. Another thing to add to the list. Still, she felt mildly insulted by his insinuation that she was a good girl, and only a _bit_ self-centred. True, she didn't consider herself evil, unless it was a necessary evil. A force needed to enact some karmic balance in this fucked-up world, filled with rich who liked to sodomise those below them.

Still, while she was still annoyed at him going behind her back like this, a small ember of an emotion she didn't like to indulge had been rekindled. Hope, hope that her father was still alive. But…if he was, and he wasn't an unwilling underling of the Maggia or another crime group, why had he stayed out of contact even now? Surely by now, the worst of the danger had gone by.

Then again, she didn't know whether he could have helped her on the second worst time of her life. Could he have helped her when that mess with Ryan and that overmonied father of his ruined her academic career? All because she said "No", and Ryan wouldn't take it for an answer, and she had to get physical to get him to stop.

No, what use was a thief, even as one as skilled as her father, in dealing with people like that? Unless he did what she had planned to do. Thoughts for another time…

**CHAPTER 8 ANNOTATIONS:**

**And at last, we're starting to see more of Felicia's backstory. We'll have them making a mutual confession in the next chapter.**

**No numbered annotations this time.**


	10. Chapter 9: Confessions

**CHAPTER 9:**

**CONFESSIONS**

A year. A year since Harry first came to New York, more or less. His 26th birthday was a fairly quiet affair, but his 27th was perhaps more interesting. He'd had a surprise party arranged by Peter, his aunt, and Martin Li. Li had arranged for one of the function rooms at his company be empty for the party. Hermione, Peter, May, Martin Li, Otto, Mary-Jane, and Felicia were all present.

Life hadn't been boring. He'd gone for a few missions for Gringotts, albeit mostly outside of New York, taking Felicia with him. She'd also finally assented to seeing if her father was still alive. Not only was he still alive, but he was a fake police officer under the alias of Detective Mackey of the NYPD.

That had been…an interesting reunion, in the cursed sense of the word. They'd taken every precaution they could before meeting Walter Hardy, and there had been a rather fraught meeting. However, Walter had said about how proud he was of his daughter, and had admonished Harry to keep her safe. Shovels and shallow graves were mentioned.

Silvija, as it turned out, couldn't come to New York herself. While a squad of Sable International soldiers were assigned as security at the Symkarian Embassy, Silvija had to engage in some missions that required her personal attention for now, and so, Facetime and emails was all they could use. A shame, but Silvija had a strong sense of duty and a loyalty to her men, a loyalty they, for the most part, repaid. She did send, as a Christmas present, a full suit of Sable body armour (specifically the variation used for infiltration missions), with the helmet's visor having the new Sable International tac-ops system. When Felicia remarked on how strange it was to get military hardware as a Christmas present, Harry responded that it was because Silvija was a practical woman who got practical gifts for people.

That being said, yesterday, he'd received a parcel from her a first edition of a Symkarian-written novel she knew he had become fond of. He'd kept an ebook copy on his iPad, but he preferred the physical books, and it was nice that Silvija tracked down a copy for him. That author had been loathed by Karkov, and she made it a point to burn those particular books wherever she could find them. It didn't help that that particular book was out of print, save as an ebook. Until now, the only physical copy he could read had been Silvija's own copy.

"Guys, seriously," Harry was saying. "You didn't have to do this."

"I think we do, Harry," May said. "Look, from what I gathered from Peter and Hermione, you didn't exactly have the best of lives. Did you ever have anyone really celebrate your birthday, properly?"

"I generally prefer it low-key, and it's been a while."

"I understand," Martin Li said with a smile, the Chinese businessman and philanthropist's attitude as warm and welcoming as May's was. "Sometimes the praise lavished on me gets to be too much. But…when one goes through hardships, it makes the joys of life seem all the more sweeter. I am sure those present know this. I know the Parkers do. I wish I could have met Ben Parker, I really do. In any case, you also give time and money to FEAST, and you're friends with the Parkers. That's good enough for me."

"Let's face it, you hit the jackpot," Mary-Jane said with a smile. "Just accept it already, okay?"

* * *

Mary-Jane stared at them incredulously. "Really? They took on a Troll?"

Hermione nodded. After they found out Peter's identity as Spider-Man, Hermione had spoken to Mary-Jane and admitted their own statuses. It was tricky, given the Statute of Secrecy, but Mary-Jane had seen stranger than wizards. They were currently in a corner while May, Martin Li, and Otto were talking, a Privacy Charm preventing any eavesdropping. "It was so reckless…and that wasn't the last dangerous magical creature they took on. The Basilisk was even worse."

Felicia frowned. "A Basilisk?" She hadn't heard about this one from Harry.

"Huge snake, extremely venomous, instant-kill gaze unless you only see a reflection of its eyes, or a filtered version," Harry said, looking irritated. "That I beat the damned thing was sheer luck, and even then, I needed Phoenix Tears to heal the venom."

Peter looked horrified. "Wow. How bad is this stuff?"

"Well, Peter," Hermione said, "Basilisk Venom's LD50 would be rated as 'yes(1)'. Only Phoenix Tears can cure it, as far as we know. It's an extremely potent corrosive substance."

"…Yeesh, sounds like you were as bad as he is," Felicia said to Harry, indicating Peter. "And the teachers let you fight it?"

"I had a bad habit of sneaking off on my own," Harry said. "Besides, Dumbledore got deposed. I think he knew that the monster was a Basilisk, but he couldn't find the Chamber of Secrets where it dwelled."

"Chamber of Secrets?" Mary-Jane snorted. "Who names the stuff the wizards have?"

"Look, from what I know, Salazar Slytherin was a bit like Voldemort. He was a xenophobe and an edgelord," Harry said. "Besides, half the wizarding names sound like they come out of Charles Dickens. I mean, take Gellert Grindlewald…now he was a nasty piece of work."

"Didn't you say he caused quite a bit of trouble here in New York?" Felicia asked.

"Yeah. You know Medea Graves? Her great-grandfather was a top Auror, Percival. Grindlewald murdered him and impersonated him while trying to find and manipulate an Obscurial. Most of this, I heard through both Medea and Rolf Scamander, as his grandfather Newt was involved in that little saga."

"I'm still amazed that the wizards managed to keep this stuff under wraps, even with the magical equivalent of a Neuralyzer out of _Men in Black_," Mary-Jane said. "How bad was Grindlewald?"

"Pretty bad. He was allied with the Axis Powers during the Second World War, using them for his own ends," Harry pointed out. "Not a Nazi or anything, but he wanted to dominate Muggles, worried they would end up laying waste to the world, from what I heard. I only know a bit of that story. Even Voldemort's name was a pseudonym. Tom Riddle, his real name was. Can you see why he wanted to change his name?"

"Fair enough," Peter said. "Though a lot of the names of the criminals here get dubbed by the press. They don't go out and call themselves these names. Though I think I called the Vulture that myself when I first fought him, and, well, the name stuck. Same with Rhino."

"And I got stuck with the name Xolotl. Long story short, a mission in Mexico went south. Some idiot thugs thought I was playing around when I said I was a threat to them, called me Xolotl after the Aztec death deity. The name stuck because some arsehole of a Goblin thought it funny…"

* * *

The party continued on in this vein for a while. Eventually, it petered out, though Harry was surprised to note that Otto and Martin Li seemed to know each other, the pair even leaving at one point for a few minutes. Harry had to wonder why. Peter left with his aunt and MJ, Hermione, Otto and Martin Li went their separate ways, and Felicia took Harry back to her apartment, to give him her present. Well, beyond the DVDs she had given him already.

Now, he wasn't an idiot. While their friendship had grown much stronger over the last year, it wasn't quite at a level to consider turning it physical. It was getting there, though, but he wanted Felicia to make the first move, as he sensed that she wouldn't want him to. As it turned out, in hindsight, it was the right choice.

"So, here we are…about a year working together," she said. "Now, when I said it was a present, I was kind of being economical with the truth. It's more of a gift, and your birthday seemed to be the right time to give it to you. It's not a physical thing."

"Then what is it?"

"…My trust. I mean, I trust you on a professional basis for our work…but this is something I haven't even told Peter. I don't think my father knew until I told him after you found him."

Harry realised what she was implying. He gently placed a hand on her own, something he rarely did. He rarely initiated physical contact in such a way, as she seemed to dislike that, and now, things were falling into place in a way he didn't like. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," he said quietly.

"I do," she said. She gathered herself, before she said, "You asked me why I was the Black Cat, why I took up my father's mantle. I told the truth, but I made it clear it wasn't the whole truth, that I wasn't willing to discuss it at the time. I am now. I trust you enough, not as a partner, but as a friend. Of course, if you went digging through the newspapers or legal records, you'd probably have found something. Peter's never brought it up, and I don't think he knows anyway. But…I did intend to have a normal life and career. I went to study law at ESU. And…that's when I met him."

"Him?"

"Ryan Smith(2). He saved me from some drunken fratboy who tried to grope me. I could have handled it myself, but…I appreciated the help. We became an item. His father was fairly rich, in charge of an investment firm. He was so nice, and yet…in hindsight, the signs were all there. He was actually quite possessive, entitled, and began isolating me from the other friends I had at ESU. Then, one day…" Her breath caught in her throat, before she started. "He decided he wanted to take our relationship to a more physical level. And he wouldn't take no for an answer."

Harry was mortified at the thought. "Merlin, Felicia! Did he…?"

"No. He _wanted_ to rape me, but I managed to fight him off. Knocked him out. I called an ambulance because I was worried he might have a concussion or worse," she confessed, before her face twisted into a bitter scowl. "I shouldn't have been so kind. First, I stood trial for assault. I managed to get through that more or less intact, but…then he managed to somehow frame me for plagiarising his assignments and cheating on tests. He managed to pay off the administration of ESU at the time, or at least a couple of them who owed him, and the people backing him, debts. Plus, they blew my father's identity as the Black Cat wide open. If my father was stole artworks and money, then _logically_, I stole exam papers and copied assignments. It was utter bullshit, and yet, I was drummed out of ESU, and I couldn't get an appeal to work. Ryan's father was helping fund something at ESU, and he used that as leverage."

"…I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You had _nothing_ to do with that. The injustice and anger motivated me to take revenge, so I began training. I was already doing regular exercises thanks to Dad, and I was pretty good with gadgets anyway. Anyway, I was going to hit them where it hurt. I was going to go to that firm Ryan's father ran, and take it to the cleaners, steal every last cent they had. But…by the time I was ready, it suddenly became a moot point. The police, IRS and FBI had been investigating their company for some time, and at the time I was ready to go…it came out on the news that they had been involved in fraud. Many people lost their money, and the most angry and dangerous of them all were the local Mafia. Not the Maggia, but what you and I normally think of as La Cosa Nostra. Ryan and his father were found in shallow graves, tortured before they were murdered. They tried to screw over the Mob as they did with me, and they suffered the consequences."

"…Shit."

"I don't weep for them. They were bastards hiding their nastiness behind masks of righteousness," Felicia said coldly. "And hypocrites too. They made out that I was a thief, long before I actually was one, and yet…they stole from so many people. What they stole from me, though, I couldn't reclaim. Time. Reputation. Innocence, even if Ryan never succeeded in raping me. He still defiled me in other, more abstract ways. And I had been training myself up for revenge on them, only for it to be taken from me by some Mafia thugs. I didn't want that to go to waste, and I knew that there were more like them in the world. I mean, at first, I thought I'd be like Robin Hood, but then, I remembered how my former classmates and teachers treated me, how my friends left me. And I thought, fuck them. I wanted to live my life on my own terms."

"…Then, the night we met, what Palamecia was threatening to do to you, and my taking you away like that, it must have…"

"Stop," she said, sharply. "While I did feel fear when Palamecia made those threats, it was more anger at having to go through that, only, it would be all the way. I am far better adjusted than you think I am. I'm not afraid of intimacy, I just want it to be on my own terms. And I think, now, we can work towards that point if you want. Unless…you didn't go through the same experience, did you?"

"What? No, God no…" Harry said. Then, he said, "Not physically, anyway."

"What do you mean by that?"

Maybe he was making a mistake. But she had just bared her soul to him. So, he eventually told her about his fifth year, and the Occlumency 'lessons' with Snape. By the end of it, she was clenching her fist.

"You said Snape was dead, didn't you?" Felicia asked in a too-calm voice.

"Yes, I did."

"Good. I thought I couldn't hate him anymore than I did already. Then I find out he did this. How are you not an alcoholic?"

"Me being an alcoholic would be worse. I just…endure as best as I can."

She seemed to consider something, before she said, "Fuck it." And with that, she came over, and gently pressed her lips to his own. He froze, startled, before he responded, her tongue probing at his lips. For a moment, they stood there, kissing, the first step to deepening their bond.

Then, she broke off, and gave him a flirtatious smile. Not one of the ones she usually gave, but rather, an affectionate one. "…That's a good first step, right? We're both messed up, but…maybe that can help us stick together. We're both damaged goods. Maybe that's why I like you more than Peter. Because while you both understand how twisted and distorted the world is, and you both try to do something about it…you don't go to such inhuman lengths to fix the world. You just do what you can."

"Yeah. Don't get me wrong, I like Peter, and I'm glad we ended up friends. But he reminds me too much of when I was young and suicidal. He's been lucky so far, but luck only carries you so far, I speak from experience. He's got determination, he's got those powers, he's compassionate, and he's a genius. There are things he can do with maths, engineering, biology…let's put it this way, between the three of them, Otto, Peter and Hermione are going to change the world. But…he takes it too far, like all of New York is his responsibility. His personal responsibility. Ben Parker meant well, but he fucked up Peter's head. It didn't help that he got killed either. That sort of guilt's a powerful motivator. That's why I gave him that offer. Someone has to look out for him. Someone needs to be able to catch him when he falls. Even if it's just medical help or a place to crash. Someone has to make sure he's not killing himself, even if it's in small ways of helping."

"I wouldn't call being his personal paramedic being small," Felicia said. "Then again, he'd probably only call on you if things were really bad. You know that British saying, 'Stiff upper lip'?" She shook her head. "He doesn't like showing it hurts. Maybe it's to be a symbol, a paragon, but as strong as he is, all it would take is one well-placed bullet, and he's dead. He's got this 'Spider-Sense' thing, warns him of incoming danger, but he has to consciously react to it, and if he's, say, being shot at while trying to right a car that's flipped or something…" She shook her head. "Can't do a damn thing about his choices, really. But back to you, and me."

"What is there to say, Felicia? I'll repay your trust in me. I know the world is filled with betrayers and backstabbers. We don't need to take this relationship any further than you want, especially in light of what that bastard did to you. You're a very beautiful woman, to say nothing of intelligent and compassionate, but...I'm willing to wait until you're ready. I've had a few relationships fall apart or just drift apart. I'm not rushing into another one, only to find it collapsing."

"And that's why I'm giving it a chance. Besides…you're a pretty damn good kisser. Did Silver Sable teach you?"

He shot her a look of annoyance, and she merely shot him an unrepentant smirk. Of all the things to say, she had to say just that. Then again, like many cats, she was too playful for her own good…

**CHAPTER 9 ANNOTATIONS:**

**So, there you have it. Some more heartwarming, as well as Felicia confessing her past. And while I do actually like the backstory given in ****_The Evil that Men Do_****, I can also understand why it's controversial. That's why I modified it.**

**That's not all I modified. While I am yet to play the DLC, I've read up on it, and the way Felicia manipulates Peter is a bit, well, I wouldn't say out of character, but it feels too much like she loves using him for her own ends and offers little in return. Harry acts like her conscience, and she knows, having heard enough of his life from Dr Strange as well as Harry himself, that he won't take kindly to manipulation or betrayal. He's not a doormat here like Peter was, or like Harry used to be. And Harry's influence, subtly, makes Felicia a better person. Peter helped, true, but Harry is helping further. True, she's an unrepentant thief who does it for the thrill as well as the money (and for sticking it sideways to those with money who shouldn't have it, in her opinion), but she's got enough of a conscience now to not manipulate her allies…though that's also pragmatism. Why upset the gravy train she's got with him, to do what she loves with fewer repercussions?**

**This isn't to say she is immoral or even amoral. I wrote those discussions to illustrate that. She is genuinely concerned about Peter, but she also knows it's a masochistic, self-destructive tendency of his, his heroism.**

**1\. An LD50 or median lethal dose is a measurement of the lethality of a given substance, measured in how much of a dose is required to kill 50% of lab animals tested. To put it into perspective, one of the most powerful poisons, scarily enough, is Botox. No, really.**

**2\. I gave Ryan, who wasn't given a last name in ****_The Evil that Men Do_****, the last name of Smith, as it was comedian and author Kevin Smith who wrote that particular comic series.**


	11. Chapter 10: Silver and Black

**CHAPTER 10:**

**SILVER AND BLACK**

Harry, Felicia and Peter had come back to Harry's apartment. Harry and Felicia's latest job had intersected with one of Peter's little investigations. So, in the interests of avoiding any stoushes and to make things easier, they cooperated. As long as they were only retrieving the items Gringotts wanted, Peter could at least cooperate.

It was actually the first proper time Harry had seen Peter in full action as Spider-Man. True, he saw footage on the news, on Youtube, and he did see Peter in action from a distance at times. But witnessing how good Peter was at stealth (albeit by staying up high, out of the eyelines of the thugs) rammed it home why Peter was actually feared by the criminal element. It wasn't his strength, but his stealth, intelligence, and his adept abilities at psychological warfare. When Spider-Man didn't quip, that was when you knew how dangerous he truly was.

Peter had taken off his mask, running a hand through his tousled brown hair. "…So, that book, the one with the really, freaky ominous aura…that's what Gringotts wanted?"

"Yeah," Harry said. "Some books are tainted with dark magic. The problem is, that one was stolen from a Gringotts cursebreaker who was researching some nasty wards. And in a city lousy with supervillains looking for an edge…well, imagine if Mysterio got his hands on something that actually allowed him to do proper magic. Muggles normally can't, but there's a few artifacts here and there that they can use, and the Kamar-Taj can also teach people who, while Muggles, have the potential to use their magic."

"Yeah, but that wasn't Mysterio. It was one of Kingpin's higher-level thugs, though he was getting ambitious."

"I know. And as much as it pains me to say it, Kingpin keeps the New York underworld relatively stable. Don't get me wrong, I want him locked away as much as you do, Peter, but I also try to look at things from a more holistic viewpoint. If he goes down, so many other criminal organisations will start trying to carve up the city between them. So when he finally goes down, you and the NYPD have got to be ready to wage war against these bastards trying to take his place."

"I'm ready," Peter said firmly.

"Are you?" Harry asked. "…When I killed Voldemort, I thought my fight, at least as far as Magical Britain was concerned, was over. It wasn't, as Draco Malfoy proved. It's when you've apparently gained a victory that someone will use that opportunity to strike. That is one of the worst parts of being a hero. Victories may not be always pyrrhic, but you can't celebrate them for long. It's part of the reason I stayed in Symkaria after the war. It wasn't just my being accused of war crimes by the ICW. I wanted to be part of the reconstruction, to do something more than win a victory and walk away. To create and build, rather than just fight. And that's why I think your work with Otto is brilliant, because it's a not dissimilar thing. This work you're doing with Otto and Hermione is going to be your legacy more than Spider-Man's."

"I guess so. No, I _hope_ so. I really do. We're getting close to an actual affordable prototype of an artificial limb, complete with neural interface. The user can feel touch too."

Felicia whistled. "Now, I'm no expert on cybernetics or neurology, but that's a pretty remarkable achievement, isn't it? That being said, the problem is Osborn. Now, I've been keeping my ears to the ground about Osborn and Octavius. Word through some of my sources is that Osborn is keeping a big eye on Octavius. Not that that's news. The problem is, the city grants committee is in his pocket, and Octavius is dependent on the money from those grants for R&D. Your money can help matters, Harry, but Osborn is like a predator watching possibly weakened prey. I have to ask, though…at your birthday party, Harry, didn't Octavius and Martin Li seem a bit…well, chummy's not the right word, but they seemed to know each other."

"I noticed that myself," Peter said. "When I asked Dr Octavius about it, all he said was that they met once a very long time ago. I didn't pry any further, Dr Octavius seemed rather sad about it."

Harry nodded, even as he went to his iPad and checked his emails. He then frowned when one in particular showed up, before he smiled. "Well, there's some good news. Silvija's coming to New York for a week."

"Is she here for work or for pleasure?" Felicia asked with a frown.

"Both. She's attending a United Nations symposium on private military contractors to offer testimony. Say what you will, but Silvija's very much a warts-and-all kind of woman. She may promote her PMC, but she won't conceal the worst aspects of it. She's been trying to get rid of some troublesome elements that engage in unlawful property seizure, using martial law and all that to shake down normal citizens and relieve them of their valuables."

"They'd do that?" Peter asked.

"Symkaria's still feeling the after-effects of the civil war, Peter," Felicia said, crossing her arms beneath her breasts. "The economy there is still reliant on Sable International to inject cash. Not as much as it was, but…I'm sure there's a few bad apples who use martial law to justify lining their pockets because they don't have that sort of thing at home."

Harry nodded. "And then, there's a few who fit the stereotype of a greedy mercenary. Even Silvija's screening process can't catch them all."

"Figures," Peter said. "But they're not all like that. I mean, you're friends with Silvija, Harry."

"Yeah. Many of them I know. Silvija…she's like the Sniper from _Team Fortress 2_. Her creed is, _Be polite, be efficient, and have a plan to kill everyone you meet_. Supposedly, that comes from the US Marine Corps, but…anyway, my point is, she wants her army to be professional. Rio managed to get Sable International in the spotlight, and in a mostly good way, as PMCs don't have a good reputation. It doesn't help that Sable International has weaponry on a par with SHIELD's stuff, or on a par with the really, really top level stuff in the US military. We're talking directed-energy weapons, jetpacks, energy barriers…stuff that's still pretty expensive to produce. In fact, I think Silvija made it so that they're hard to reverse-engineer and thus allow them to be used against them. It helps them keep an edge against Latveria. And given America's reputation on the world stage lately, well…"

"So, I presume she'll be coming around to catch up?" Felicia asked.

"Probably. I won't bring her anywhere near Otto, though. He's a good man, Peter, but he seems a touch paranoid. I'm not saying he doesn't have reason to be, especially given what Felicia said, but…"

"Yeah. Our work is nearing a critical stage. And the grants committee seem to be keeping an even closer eye on us this days," Peter said. "Hermione covers for me, but still, Dr Octavius seems a little under pressure…"

* * *

It was while visiting Harry a few days later on that Felicia got to meet Silvija Sablinova, known to the world at large as Silver Sable. She knew Silvija was there that day, so the meeting wasn't coincidental. She wanted to size up the mercenary leader.

As Harry let her in, Felicia heard someone speak in what she later learned was Symkarian, which was mostly Hungarian with some Romanian and other language's words mixed in. Harry replied in the same language, though Felicia heard her name amongst them. She was soon led through into the living room, where Silvija was sitting, watching her as she entered. Even if her clothing didn't scream military, her deceptively relaxed posture, concealing an actual alertness and readiness, did so. Her hard beauty helped. This was a woman warrior who'd fought every step of the way in her life. Felicia felt the urge to play with her like a cat with a ball of string, but tamped down the impulse. It was unlikely Silver Sable would kill her for annoying her too much, but there were other routes of vengeance.

"So, you are the Black Cat," Silver said, her voice husky with an Eastern European accent. "I am Silvija Sablinova." A perfunctory handshake was all she was offered.

"Felicia Hardy. So, you're the infamous Silver Sable. Isn't 'sable' another name for black? So those guys who call you Silver Sable are calling you Silver Black?"

Silver scoffed quietly. "My family's name has been dubbed the Sable family by ignorant and lazy foreigners for centuries. I merely appropriated it. I see nothing wrong with calling myself 'Silver'. Silver has been a symbol of protection in the world since ancient times. You have the silver bullet that supposedly can fell a werewolf. Silver even has an antibacterial effect."

Harry was bustling around making tea. "Please, no fighting. I thought you trusted my judgement, Silvija."

"Of course I do. That is why I am giving Miss Hardy the benefit of the doubt for now. I want to take the measure of her myself, though."

"Oh? And why would you want to take the measure of me, Silver Sable? I mean, aside from your obvious protectiveness of Harry? He's more than capable of looking after himself."

"With most things, yes, he is. But I wanted to see you myself, not rely on secondhand observations or the press. I'm sure you care little about whether I approve of you or not, but I want to make my own judgement. In any case, he was once one of us…no, he still is, as far as I am concerned. Such bonds of camaraderie are not so easily broken."

Felicia felt a strong pang of jealousy. Not because Silver had slept with Harry, she had come to terms with that shortly after learning that. But because Silver was implying, intentionally or not, that her bonds of friendship were stronger than Felicia's. Not that Felicia thought she didn't have a point. She just gritted her teeth, and bit out, "Harry chooses his friends with care, you know this. Do you think he would choose me if he didn't believe I could actually be his friend?"

Silver looked her up and down, before nodding, conceding the point. "He's been burned before, but rarely by his friends."

"Some of the Weasleys were like that, but that was out of a blinkered viewpoint, grief and misplaced anger," Harry said, bringing them some tea. "Ron died, I got quite a bit stroppy when I refused Ginny…between all that, I'm not on speaking terms with Ginny or her parents anymore. Too many bad arguments over things, some of them stupid. Molly and Arthur aren't bad people, but Molly has Arthur under her thumb, and she has a very definite view of how the world should be. And Ginny…I thought she grew out of being a fangirl, and then…"

"Did she stalk you?" Felicia asked, frowning.

"…Yes, in a way, and her mother encouraged her, albeit without knowing what she was really doing, because Molly thought we were meant to be together, and I just didn't know what I really wanted. Like I said, it wasn't out of malice, just blinkeredness. Ginny kept showing up at inopportune times while I was doing my cursebreaker training, trying to discourage me from that, before finally giving me an ultimatum shortly before I went to Symkaria. I told her, albeit after a long row, to fuck off. The esteemed vultures of the press, naturally, had a field day. That's when the cracks really widened up between me and those Weasleys. I was still friends with Ron, Bill and George. Charlie hasn't said anything to me, but Bill reckons he'd support me. But…Symkaria turned out to be what they called a clusterfuck."

Silver nodded solemnly. "That is putting it mildly, Harry." She then returned her sharp gaze to Felicia. "You, though, you have never been in war. You should count yourself lucky, Miss Hardy, and hopefully, your country will not know war on its shores, beyond that against the criminal element. I am not saying you have not known hardship. But war is a hardship that either forges, or destroys. Harry is my friend, and my comrade in arms. I can count on him to protect me, just as I am sure he would be able to count on me to protect him. So, know this, Miss Hardy. Should you be the latest in the list of betrayals Harry has to deal with, there will be no corner of this city, this country, no, this world that will keep you safe from me. But, on the other hand, should you need help beyond your…activities, and I am around, I will do so, for Harry's sake if nothing else."

Felicia bristled at the threat, but she also knew Silver would not make it lightly. Indeed, it was more of a solemn promise. And at least Silver appended a reluctant offer at the end. "Fine. Did you have anything else to say, princess?"

"Do not call me princess," Silver said. "I voluntarily gave up my claim to the throne. And actually, yes. While this was something I was intending to bring to Harry's attention, I suppose you, with your knowledge of the underworld of this city, might be willing to help with, along with the Spider-Man." With that, she pulled out an iPhone and pulled up a photo.

Felicia didn't recognise the rather dour soldier on it, but Harry did. "Isn't that Laszlo?"

"Yes," Silver said. On Felicia's curious look, she clarified, "He is, or rather, was a quartermaster for one of our battalions. My people brought some…irregularities to my attention."

"He was stealing from you," Felicia mused. "A quartermaster deals with supplies and the like, and so is well-positioned to pinch things."

"Yes. He was able to steal some of our weapons and materiel, armour and the like. Only small amounts that we can confirm, but enough to potentially cause havoc. About half a dozen of our energy weapons, along with twice as many armour sets, and a number of our grenades and restraint weapons. He managed to flee upon confrontation. It was part of the reason I was here in New York. I needed to notify the FBI and SHIELD. However, I am not sure I can trust either of them. In addition, Laszlo's clientele was concerning. He seemed to be approaching the Maggia crime organisation, particularly the branch led by a certain Joseph Martello, though he is better known as..."

"Hammerhead," Felicia finished for Silver, grimacing. "I've had run-ins with that ugly monster before."

"I presume it wasn't on good terms?" Silver asked.

"Hammerhead isn't on good terms with _anyone_," Felicia sneered. "You know how he got that nickname? He got his head stoved in during a fight. A surgeon saved his life, but put a metal plate into his forehead. Word is, he was a violent thug before, but he got even worse since then. What's more, he's ambitious, and pretty smart for a brain-damaged wannabe Mafia goon. The only reason he hasn't made a move to take over the streets is because of Kingpin, and your weapons might just be the edge he needs."

"…_Baszd meg_," Silver muttered with an angry scowl. It sounded like an expletive, whatever she said, especially given Harry's startled look. "The weapons and materiel he has stolen may not be enough to launch a full takeover bid, unless he is either stupid, or has enough manpower and firepower to make up the difference, but…small attacks, designed to chip away at Wilson Fisk's powerbase might work. Or he might try and target city officials. I personally believe the former to be more likely, a form of asymmetrical warfare, but…unfortunately, I cannot spare more men to track down these thugs and what they have stolen. Virtually all of my men present here at this time are assigned to the Symkarian embassy, or to my personal detail, and the rest are currently on missions. In any case, a PMC taking action on American soil without being retained by a client would be, understandably, a disaster."

"You're asking me to keep an eye out for this stuff? Or do you actually want me to track them down?" Harry asked.

"Track them down. SHIELD is already aware that I was intending to approach you. If you get there first and you stop them, as long as you don't interfere with their operatives if they are present, they are fine with it."

"Great, tracking down advanced weapons that a local gang intend to use to wreak havoc on this city," Felicia snarked, before turning to look at Harry, and saying, with a mixture of sincerity and sarcasm, "Harry, you sure know how to show a girl a good time…"

**CHAPTER 10 ANNOTATIONS:**

**So, there you have it. Black Cat and Silver Sable have met, and it hasn't degenerated into a catfight. Then again, Silver's mature enough to be calm about it, though it won't stop her from being a little antagonistic, if only because she's protective of Harry.**

**While this seems a bit early for Hammerhead to make a move, keep in mind that, due to butterflies, Hammerhead managed to find out about Sable International's weapons and how to get them earlier, before the DLC campaign. Hopefully, Harry, Felicia and Peter can nip that in the bud…**

**Speaking of the DLC and the butterfly effect, I just bought it and played it. Have to admit, the Black Cat chase was annoyingly frustrating, and those minigun enemies are a pain in the arse. But the story also helped put a few things into perspective, and was certainly enjoyable. Unfortunately, it also claimed the dictator in charge of Symkaria was a man, not a woman…so this is something I'll be chalking up to the butterflies again, presumably due to magicals being involved in Symkaria.**

**No numbered annotations this time.**


	12. Chapter 11: Every Silver Lining Has a

**CHAPTER 11:**

**EVERY SILVER LINING HAS A CLOUD(****1)**

"_This is Black Cat. I haven't found the cache yet._"

"_Spider-Man here. Bad news is, there are Maggia goons everywhere. Good news is, I think I've found the cache. There's a lot of guys with guns near where I am, according to my sensors. Energy sensors are detecting a lot of high energy sources. I'm glad you allowed me to calibrate my sensors with your gear, Xolotl._"

Harry nodded, grimacing. Here they were, stuck in an abandoned subway tunnel after going through some sewers, thanks to Spider-Man's tracking ability. Not an experience he wanted to repeat. Peter readily agreed to help out, and frankly, Harry actually was grateful for the younger man's technology. Peter was a genius, it had to be reiterated, and the best kind, someone who was humble and decent, who wanted to help others.

"I'm heading your way, Spider-Man," he murmured into his earpiece, enhanced through magic to work well underground. "Now, remember, the mission objectives are as follows: the priority is to retrieve the weapons and materiel, or else destroy them. Keep in mind, the latter should be a last resort, as they are pretty expensive, but asset denial is the name of the game, and Silvija understands if we need to. I've got Portkeys primed for a SHIELD holding facility. Once we deal with these idiots, we send any top level Maggia people there, including Hammerhead if we can get him. Nick Fury can deal with the jurisdictional shitstorm. Also, when taking out these guys, take them down hard and fast. I know I don't need to tell either of you that, but I don't want either of you to get hit by a bullet. Also, non-lethal. I personally think these walking clichés wouldn't be missed by the world, but if the cops or the FBI come across a chamber filled with corpses…well, your reputation doesn't need any more damaging, Spider-Man."

"_Ugh, don't I know it_," Peter muttered. "_Though you're right, too much of the Maggia are walking clichés. I half-expect Marlon Brando to come in._"

"I'm gonna make you an offer you can't understand, let alone refuse," Harry mumbled in a passable parody of Marlon Brando's voice as Don Corleone. Quiet snickers came down the line. "Okay, we'd better get going."

Soon, Harry was in one of the chambers, Invisibility Cloak around him. He looked up, and nodded approvingly. While they didn't want any help with spells, both Peter and Felicia were masters of stealth, though to be fair, they also took advantage of the fact that humans tended to keep their eyes to ground level rather than to the ceiling or sky. He soon saw the crate that had to contain at least some of the materiel. Ensuring he wasn't close enough to any goons for them to hear, Harry hissed into the earpiece, "Xolotl to Spider-Man…are there any other energy sources matching the signature of Sable tech?"

"_A few, but most of it's in the crate, I think._"

"…Right. I'm going to do a quick audit. Those morons have left it open. Once I do a count, I'll send it off by Portkey, and then we'll have to search for the remainder. Thank Merlin they didn't get any jetpacks or Vakonds. I shudder to think what they'd do with those."

"_Vakonds?_" Felicia asked.

"A burrowing personnel delivery system. The name means 'mole' in Symkarian and Hungarian. It's mostly used for inserting personnel into fortified areas by burrowing beneath the defences. Of course, in a city, it'd wreak havoc on the utilities, so it's not meant for urban warfare. Not that Hammerhead would give a shit. Now, quiet a moment." With that, Harry went over to the crate, and peered in, doing a count of the weapons inside. "Right…most of the stuff is here, save for about half the armour sets, two of the energy weapons, and about three of the grenades. I'm going to set the Portkey, ready to take this back. Also, the stuff Silvija told us about is just the stuff she knows has been pilfered. It's possible Laszlo stole more. Spider-Man, Black Cat…look for any sign of Laszlo or Hammerhead or any high-ranking Maggia guys, as well as any Sable technology."

Then, Felicia's voice came through. "_Guys…I've found Laszlo and Hammerhead in the chamber next door. There's a bunch of idiots in Sable tech armour as well, and..._" Suddenly, a shrill scream of pain came through on the line. Harry heard the muffled noise simultaneously.

Harry attached the Portkey. "Right…I'm going to stun these idiots. Spider-Man, you help me restrain them. Black Cat, use your directional mic and recorder if you aren't already. Any piece of Sable tech you find, either of you, and you can safely retrieve, put it somewhere safe for me to send back."

As Harry and Peter worked together to deal with the Maggia goons, putting the Sable tech back in the grate, Harry listened to Felicia's running commentary as she listened to the directional mic. "…_Hammerhead's torturing Laszlo. Apparently, the little weasel had been putting out feelers to sell Sable tech to the New York underworld here, and Hammerhead was the first fish to bite. But after Laszlo's cover was blown, Hammerhead is angry. While he's hoping that he can find someone who can replicate Sable tech, he's torturing Laszlo to punish him. And…to find out who are the top R&D people in Sable International. There's also something he mentioned called 'Project Olympus' he wants to know more about. Shit, he's even more ambitious than I thought._"

Peter, who was next to Harry as Harry Stunned the last goon, who was promptly webbed up, groaned. "That's all we need, Hammerhead starting a gang war using Sable tech. Harry, we need to help Laszlo."

"In a moment. Black Cat, does Hammerhead look like he'll be killing Laszlo any time soon?"

"_No. For a psychopathic sadistic thug, he's pretty much in control_," Felicia responded.

"Then we'll continue this. If you want to help him, Spider-Man, be my guest, but keep in mind, he had no compunction about selling highly-advanced weapons to an organised crime gang who'd have no qualms about using it on civilians," Harry said, giving Peter a look. "And organised crime gangs are not that much different from terrorists in many regards, and I'm sure Laszlo would have sold to terrorists to make a quick buck. And we need to ensure the weapons and materiel are secure before we go in, just in case these idiots try to make off with any of it. And some of them may just do that if you start causing a scene before we're ready. So, if you're going to object, then start with stealthily dealing with those people in the room where Hammerhead is torturing Laszlo, and cut off their escape routes with your webbing."

Peter, reluctantly, nodded. "Fine. I'll go to the next room. But if Laszlo's life is in immediate danger, I'm going in."

"Fine. Just play it smart," Harry said. "I'll be with you guys shortly…"

* * *

Harry had finished up soon afterwards, and was entering the other chamber, noting that the rest of the weapons and materiel were present. He breathed a sigh of relief. Now for Laszlo. "Okay…Spider-Man, you've got the exits sealed?"

A brief 'thwip' from behind, and the door he had used was now sealed with webbing. "_Yeah, now they are_," Peter said, apparently not happy with being made to wait while someone was being tortured.

"_Guys, Laszlo just said something interesting, something about 'the Demons' being interested in Sable tech. Have you got any idea who those are?_" Felicia asked.

"_No idea_," Peter said.

"Me too," Harry said. "Must be an emergent gang or a terrorist group. Okay…we're going in. Spider-Man, Black Cat, deal with the goons. I'll concentrate on Hammerhead, a Stunner or two should make him go down faster. Black Cat, use one of your EMP grenades on the group to disable their tech first. While Sable tech is hardened enough that the electronics won't get fried, they will be disabled for a time. And you know the drill. Non-lethal takedowns. Take them down hard and fast. Black Cat…EMP grenade on three. One…two…**_three!_**"

An object was thrown amongst the small group of Maggia goons wielding Sable tech, and then, a brief strobe of azure light. Once he was sure the grenade's blast wouldn't affect him, Harry dashed in, weaving around the small crowd, avoiding Felicia and Peter's attacks before he found Hammerhead. The first Stunner caused Hammerhead to spin around, dazed, but not knocked out. The man had a rather thuggish face, not helped by the wide, heavily-scarred forehead. "What the…?"

Another Stunner sent him to the ground, and Harry used an Incarcerous for good measure. Finally, he placed a Portkey on him, and sent him away. He then turned his attention to Laszlo, whose eyes looked up at him in recognition. In Symkarian, he asked, "_Potter, is that you? You gotta get me outta here. I was_…"

"_Selling off our gear to Hammerhead, only you got caught with your hand in the cookie jar_," Harry sneered. "_And we overheard something else. Who are the Demons?_"

"_What are you talking about?_"

"_DON'T PLAY GAMES WITH ME, YOU BASTARD!_" Harry roared. "_Who are the Demons?!_"

At this, Laszlo's demeanour, originally furtive and fearful, suddenly seemed to change. His face had a contemptuous sneer, and suddenly, he broke free of his ropes. The colour of his skin seemed to change, looking like his face and exposed skin was turning into a photographic negative.

"_We are the Demons!_" he yelled, before he grabbed one of the energy weapons one of the Maggia goons had dropped, and with a grin, he said, "_And we'll be watching, and waiting. We'll be coming for all of you_…"And with that, he aimed it at his head, and fired the energy weapon at point-blank range, set on its most lethal setting. Most of his head was vaporized, and the rest splattered around the chamber in wet, gory and charred chunks.

Harry was horrified, true, but he was also angry. "FUCK!" he yelled.

"What happened?" Peter asked, coming over, the other foes in the chamber dealt with. "Why did his face go all…negative? And why did he shoot himself?"

"…Because something was controlling him," Harry said grimly. "Not the Imperius, it wouldn't show an effect like that. Some sort of superpower, maybe, or some sort of magic I don't know of. He seemed to say he was one of the Demons. Fuck…I let my anger get the better of me…and yet, if he's a sleeper agent for one of the Demons…" He went over to the corpse and began scanning it with his wand, running every diagnostic charm he could think of.

Felicia walked over, concerned for her partner. "You're worried others could be too, including members of Sable International?"

"Yes. Spider-Man, scan him for any residue of energy that you can think of, please."

"On it," Peter said, his tone all-business. After a moment, he shook his head. "Not getting anything."

"…I'm getting something," Harry murmured. "Not quite magic, but something…I think a visit to Dr Strange is in order. All right. We'll leave these guys for the cops to deal with. I've sent Hammerhead to a holding cell at SHIELD. No doubt I'll have to write a report for both Nick Fury and Silvija."

"But why do that?" Felicia asked. "Why make a sleeper agent who commits suicide before doing anything?"

"Maybe it was because he couldn't do anything. He could have shot us, true, but…someone's up to something," Harry said grimly. "It might be that…well, Laszlo was one of those who knew I was a wizard, and that I could, potentially, use Legilimency, which I can't, or else take him where Veritaserum could be used on him."

"But why say anything about the Demons at all?" Felicia asked.

"…It's a warning," Peter said grimly. "They want us to fear them, to know they can strike us at any time. Some of the people I fought are melodramatic as hell. They want to make a statement. Anyway, let's get this finished…"

* * *

"Well, in conclusion, Mr Potter, it seems like your actions have stirred up what we call in the business a shitstorm."

This came from the man who looked like Samuel L Jackson with a beard and an eyepatch. Harry wasn't exactly amused by the man's sardonic remark. "Would you rather the Sable technology remain in the hands of the Maggia?"

"Of course not, and I have to say Miss Sablinova made the right call in bringing you in. It's better for the most part that we keep such weapons out of their hands. But of course, the FBI and the DMLE are at each other's throats because you got to Hammerhead and the Sable tech first, and that's to say nothing of the NYPD. I know for a fact that Mr Parker's friend on the force, Captain Watanabe, has got something of a grudge against the Maggia."

Harry just glared at the man, who remained unruffled. After sending the Maggia goons back, he, Felicia and Peter had been 'invited' by this man to the SHIELD headquarters, where he had sent Hammerhead, the Maggia underlings, and the weapons. Peter and Felicia were being interviewed elsewhere in the building. "You're making it sound like I caused too much trouble for you to handle, Fury."

"Of course not, but shitstorms are inconvenient," Nick Fury said. "We have a ridiculous amount of operations worldwide. SHIELD may have been established here in the US, but our remit is worldwide. Tracking down Sable International's stolen weaponry, while a priority, meant that we do clash with the FBI and Homeland Security. With you involved, we have to deal with Gringotts and the DMLE, and I'm sure you share my personal dislike with dealing with MACUSA bureaucracy. Even now, they still look down on No-Majs. Hence, my debriefing you, along with Miss Hardy and Mr Parker. I'm ticking all the boxes, crossing the 't's and dotting the 'i's. I'm sure Medea Graves will be asking for Pensieve memories at the very least. In any case, the fact that your former comrade committed suicide, apparently while under the influence of an abnormal power, is a matter of some concern."

"No shit," Harry snarked. "Any idea who these Demons are?"

"Of course not. Do you have any idea how many groups alone, if we restrict it to criminal and terrorist organisations, call themselves the Demons?"

"…Dozens, probably."

"Scores. To my knowledge, only a couple of them have people with superpowers, and none can do what you described this man to do. Mr Parker has kindly allowed us to download telemetry from his suit sensors of the incident. The energy readings are not dissimilar to those that we have recorded of the vigilante Cloak using his powers, which he dubs the Darkforce(2). However, it is highly unlikely that he or his partner Dagger are the culprits. Sadly, I think the Demons are an emergent group. It may have been that your former comrade was tagged as a sleeper agent for them. And if they could do it to some…"

"…Others may have been affected," Harry hissed in horror.

"And there is, in all likelihood, nothing we can do to detect these sleeper agents until it's too late," Nick Fury said solemnly. "Still, SHIELD has at least grounds for keeping Hammerhead locked away somewhere nice and isolated. I'll be sure to keep Captain Watanabe in the loop. She'll be pleased, and pissed that she didn't get to take him down herself. In any case…Mr Parker is not that happy that you let your former comrade continue to be tortured. He understands why, but he's also an idealist. He understands the way the world works, but doesn't want to accept it."

"Yeah, and don't get me wrong, he's a good guy. He's just got to learn that he might need to let these things happen. And sometimes, you can't change the world without getting your hands dirty(3)…"

**CHAPTER 11 ANNOTATIONS:**

**So, there you have it. Hammerhead's been dealt with, and we've had some sinister foreshadowing. Harry and Peter's friendship may be a bit rough for a while, but things will get better. The next chapter will have a pivotal scene, though…but I'm not sure when it will be out.**

**Plus, I couldn't resist a cameo from Nick Fury. Yeah, I know, it's the MCU version, but I like that version.**

**Sorry this chapter took a while. I actually had most of it completed during the publishing of the previous one, and I'd actually finished it some time ago, but I decided to revise the end of the chapter to include the Nick Fury scene.**

**Review-answering time! ****Jostanos****: While Hammerhead won't create his own Sinister Six due to basically being locked up in SHIELD's equivalent of Guantanamo Bay, there IS a Sinister Six in the game, and while there will be a similar organisation in this story once I get around to it, well, at least one member will be different.**

**WearyCurmudgeon****: Silvija and Hermione would have to get in line. Harry would be the one Felicia would need to worry about first. This is why she's avoiding manipulating and betraying him: she knows that it's a bad idea, because he's not as tolerant as Peter is to such things, and unlike someone like Hammerhead, it'd be even worse for her.**

**1\. Leaving aside the reference to the ****_Silver Lining_**** DLC storyline, this is actually one of Kerr Avon's bit of snark in the ****_Blake's 7_**** episode ****_The City at the Edge of the World_****. Vila promptly retorts that he would say Avon got that wrong, but Vila knows better.**

**2\. Mister Negative's powers are linked to the Darkforce in the comics, so I'd thought I'd put in that reference there.**

**3\. In this game, Spider-Man, as noted before, is played by Yuri Lowenthal, who also played Suzaku Kururugi in ****_Code Geass_****. This quote, of course, is spoken by his friend and later enemy Lelouch just before he commits fratricide. Unlike Lelouch and Suzaku, Harry and Peter do still have an understanding of each other.**


	13. Chapter 12: Separation Anxiety

**CHAPTER 12:**

**SEPARATION ANXIETY**

As Harry and Nick Fury thought, Peter grew cold towards Harry, albeit for a short period of time, about a few weeks. Meanwhile, Harry consulted with Dr Strange, his lover Clea, and his adjutant Wong in the Sanctum Sanctorum, as well as Medea Graves, and while there was no real clue as to who the Demons were, a Pensieve with Harry's memories did have Strange, Clea and Wong consider this power to be potentially a variant of the Darkforce, as Nick Fury suggested.

However, Harry and Peter did reconcile. Peter's problem was his youth and idealism, something all but crushed out of Harry by Symkaria and what happened there. But he did have a point. If it was an innocent, Harry would have acted sooner.

Harry also finally got to meet Peter's ally in the NYPD, Captain Yuriko 'Yuri' Watanabe, an older Japanese-American woman who helped Peter out on the sly. As Fury predicted, Yuri had been both annoyed and yet pleased at Hammerhead's capture and indefinite incarceration in a remote SHIELD facility. Harry found her to be a bit like Medea Graves, only a little more personable.

As for Silvija, once she got the weapons, she left New York soon afterwards, though not before giving Harry a fond farewell. She actually met Peter, albeit while he was in his Spider-Man costume, and thanked him as well, along with Felicia. However, she had missions that required her to be elsewhere.

Things were quiet in New York for a while, at least for Harry and Felicia. In fact, the jobs they did for Gringotts tended to be interstate (with one proving to be _intestate_ as well, and another international). For Peter, well, it was the usual dance of going out and saving people, and often being late for appointments and work.

Then, about eighteen months after Harry first came to New York, things came to a head, but not in a world-ending or city-shaking way. Well, unless your name happened to be Peter Parker or Mary-Jane Watson…

* * *

Felicia sighed as she filled the wine glasses. "…So, messy, was it?"

"Aren't all arguments?" MJ asked, her bloodshot eyes emphasizing her snark.

Felicia smiled, before sliding over a glass to the readhead. "Now, I'm only giving you one, okay? Take it from me, drinking too much while depressed isn't a good thing, and while I know you take public transport and so don't have to worry about getting caught DUI, this city's lousy with animals who'd love to take advantage of a drunk woman, and I know you feel uneasy crashing here."

"Felicia…I don't need protecting. That's part of the reason I got angry with Peter."

Hermione rolled her eyes at MJ's remark. "MJ, Felicia's trying to look out for you."

Felicia gave MJ another smile. "Exactly. Now, I'm sure you think that I don't think that much of you going for Peter, or that I'd poach him from you if I wasn't with Harry, but frankly, that's far from the truth. You've got guts to date a superhero, knowing his true identity, and that one misstep could lead all kinds of threats to your door. And frankly, I've been fine with you dating him for a long time. He's a sweet guy, he's just…too goody two-shoes for my liking. You're probably closer to what he wants in a woman anyway. You've got the whole 'girl next door' thing going, wholesome, nice, and nobody can accuse you of being stupid. The problem is…life being with a vigilante is pretty tiring, isn't it?" Felicia asked.

MJ nodded morosely. The redhead had run into Felicia, and seeing the state of her, the Black Cat invited her to her apartment, calling over Hermione for additional support. Apparently, MJ and Peter had had a bad argument after Peter seemed too protective of MJ. Not that Felicia could blame him, as MJ had little training like she did, or powers.

Felicia sighed, and sat down at the table MJ and Hermione were. "Look, from what I gathered from you, I think your relationship is just going through a tough phase, MJ," Felicia said. "Superpowered vigilante partners aside, this is pretty much something that can happen even to the best of relationships. The good ship Parker-Watson is still sailing, even if there's been a hit from a torpedo. You just need some time to yourselves for a while, before you see if you can make it work again."

"Easy for you to say. The thing is, I don't have any powers," MJ complained.

"So? I don't," Felicia said.

"Yeah, but you've been training for years, plus you have all those gadgets. Aren't those derived from those your father used as the original Black Cat?"

"Exactly. Though I doubt _The Daily Bugle_ will let you use them for your work, and I do need the training for many of my gadgets. My grapnel gun, for example, could easily dislocate my shoulder if I weren't trained. Have you seen how fast that thing pulls me? And you may not know this, but Peter runs these calculations through his head all the time while doing his web-slinging thing, usually based on the calculations for swinging pendulums and the like. I have to do something similar, and on the fly to boot. And unlike Peter, I don't have the durability to have some room for error if I screw up. In any case, it wouldn't hurt to get some training in. I'm sure there's some good self-defence classes in the city. I could give you phone numbers or emails. Harry might know some people. Maybe Silver Sable might be willing to help."

"I'm not sure I'm up to training with Silver Sable," MJ said.

"Well, physical strength, yeah, you need to work on that. But you've got the will and tenacity, I'm sure," Felicia said with a smirk. "Look, the thing about Peter is that he has this whole quixotic thing going on."

"You mean his 'saving people thing'," Hermione chipped in. "I told Harry he had that back in high school."

"Nice," Felicia said with an approving nod, before turning her attention back to MJ. "He needs people like you, Hermione, May, Octavius...hell, if Harry Osborn was still around, it'd be better. Because he needs people like you two to anchor himself to reality."

"But not you?" MJ asked.

Felicia rolled her eyes. "MJ, I'm a notorious criminal, even if the cops haven't truly collared me. I'm the sort of person he tries to catch. The only reason why he hasn't done so isn't just because he had a thing for me. He genuinely believes I could become a better person. Problem is, he's got too high standards. What is actually morally wrong with stealing from criminals? Especially if they themselves stole from those who could afford it? It's against the law, sure, but so's half the crap they do. Hell, I'd be fine with killing people like, well, Hammerhead or Scorpion, but unless it was in self-defence, I know the cops would come after me even harder. Despite the fact that getting rid of someone like Mac Gargan would be a service to the world."

"I hear that," MJ said. "Jameson keeps denying responsibility, even if he admits to the experiments that gave Scorpion the armoured suit."

"Jameson's a lot like Rita Skeeter, a magical paparazzi we had back home," Hermione remarked. "Pretty mercenary too. Even though we knew her secret, she cooperated with Narcissa Malfoy to dirty Harry's name again."

"Secret?" Felicia asked.

"She was an unregistered Animagus, specifically a beetle, and she used it to eavesdrop on her victims and infiltrate locations to gain intelligence," Hermione explained. "I used it to blackmail her into stopping coming after us when I found out, but she decided Malfoy's protection was enough. Didn't stop Luna from blowing her secret wide open."

"…Wouldn't mind that ability myself," MJ said.

"You'd at least use it for good rather than evil," Hermione agreed. "Anyway, I agree with Felicia. Give it a little while, allow tempers to cool, and then start talking to Peter. Try to work something out."

"Maybe," MJ said. "I'm surprised you haven't made a move on him, Hermione. I mean, you're as smart as he is, and you wouldn't need rescuing as often as I do."

"True, but I don't want to steal him from you," Hermione said. "And Peter is actually smarter than me, at least when it comes to our respective fields. In work-life balance and relationships…not so much."

Felicia nodded. "Anyway, MJ, I'll help you train. There's a good gym I know, does good fitness training as well as self-defence classes, teaches all sorts of styles. Plus, I have a few spare gadgets that can be used for self-defence. Mostly tasers, though you might need some permits for those in case you get stopped by the cops."

"…Thanks, Felicia. I appreciate it."

"You're welcome. Look, once upon a time, we could've been rivals for him. But…he's too virtuous for his own good, even knowing what the world is like. But I still think I'm a friend, and not just with him, MJ. Besides, between Harry and Peter, the three of us have to help those two stay out of too much trouble, right?"

Hermione chuckled. "I hear that. Can't stop them from getting into trouble."

"Trouble seems to find them," MJ remarked, with the two other young women nodding sagely.

* * *

And where was Harry during this? He'd offered Peter a place to crash if need be, but the young vigilante had refused. However, he did ask if Harry could help out at FEAST. Martin Li had gone off on a business trip, and Aunt May needed some help. And as Harry had had some experience cooking for lots of people in Symkaria, well…

May watched Harry as he helped cook dinner for the people at FEAST. He was cooking up some Symkarian food, relatively cheap, but certainly tasty. "I can't imagine what you went through in Symkaria, Harry," the older woman clucked as she helped. "Hermione hinted that a lot of it was hush-hush."

"Yeah, sorry. Let's just say, I saw more than I should have, and that Silvija Sablinova is a good friend. And that war is hell. I mean, people say that, but…I've been through it more than I should have."

"Yes, Hermione said your parents were murdered by a terrorist, and you were raised by appalling relatives." May gave a rather sad smile. "Ben and I may not have been Peter's parents, but we tried to fill that role since they passed."

"I wish I could have met him. Peter speaks highly of him, and of you. I mean, Martin Li trusts you to run FEAST for him. He clearly thinks highly of you."

"Martin is a good man, and…I try to meet his expectations. And Peter…he has it tough. He's always running late…and yet, he's got such a keen mind. It's why I asked Otto if he'd be willing to take him on. Otto knew Ben, you see, and I knew him through Ben. Poor Otto…he's a great man, but he's never been as successful as Norman Osborn."

"Yeah. I'm surprised Peter gets along so well with him."

"Norman can be kind to those he knows on a personal basis. He was never the same since his wife died," May mused sadly. "But even then, he does have…well, he's very much a businessman, first and foremost, shall we say? I do wish he would let his son talk to Peter and Mary-Jane from wherever in Europe he is."

"…I dunno," Harry mused. "It sounds a bit like a story to me."

"What do you mean?"

"Just a gut feeling. Did I ever tell you about my godfather? He was framed for terrorism, for killing a dozen people, by someone who faked their death. He was locked up in a secret prison, the closest thing to Hell on Earth. The thing is, everyone thought he was guilty, and had not even given him a proper trial. Since learning that, I try to question everything I can. Don't get me wrong, I don't always practise what I preach, but the last time I slipped up, I was framed for mass murder in Symkaria. It took ages for them to exonerate me, and even then, I'm pretty much _persona non grata_ in Britain anymore, because my accusers have too much influence. Part of the reason I came to New York was because Hermione was here, and she was one of my only friends left after that debacle. Anyway, the point is, I question quite a lot of things I don't know the answer to. Of course, not many people do that, or J Jonah Jameson wouldn't be as popular as he is. He reminds me unpleasantly of a journalist I once had the displeasure of knowing."

"It sounds like you had an interesting life, Harry, even if it's in the cursed sense of the word," May said.

"You got that right, May. But…I have my friends with me. Hermione, Peter, Felicia, and MJ."

"Yes…do you think Peter and MJ will get back together?"

"Maybe. At the very least, they'll be able to talk again soon. Felicia and Hermione will be able to help MJ at least. As for Peter…well, Felicia, Hermione and I will try to help him through this. Then again, I'm not sure I'm one to talk to for relationship advice. Before Felicia came along, I've been in a few relationships. Two ended badly. The third…well, luckily, it ended amicably, so…there's that. But I'm not good at talking about them, how they went wrong and why. Well, at least in other people."

"Just be there for Peter, Harry," May said, looking worried. "I mean, who knows what reckless things he might get up to in his distraught state?"

_Oh May, you have no idea_, Harry thought in the confines of his head…

**CHAPTER 12 ANNOTATIONS:**

**So, there you have it. The break-up prior to the game, and how MJ is dealing with it. Peter's off doing his Spider-Man thing to cope, so I decided to give Harry and Aunt May a scene, as I haven't really written her in much, and she's such a sweet character in the game.**

**There are a couple of things I am changing from the canon game, though. Firstly, MJ and Peter will be on speaking terms by the time the game starts. True, they'll still be a little fractious when it comes to Peter coddling MJ, but they'll be on better terms. **

**Secondly…Peter will be in a relationship with someone else by the time the game starts: namely, Hermione. This was something I always intended for this fic. This doesn't mean MJ and Hermione will be enemies, or that there will be MJ-bashing. MJ and Hermione actually talked it out first before Hermione moved in on Peter, and I think MJ would be more annoyed if it was Felicia doing that rather than Hermione.**

**I also find it sweet that Felicia, given how she's developed in my fic, is actually trying to help MJ. I think that, given that Felicia's seeing Harry and is no longer competition for Peter, Felicia has a more friendly attitude to MJ, seeing herself as a big sister figure.**

**Anyway, this will be the last chapter before the game's story proper begins, more or less. Dunno when the next chapter will be out, though.**

**No numbered annotations this time.**


	14. Chapter 13: The False Calm Before the

**CHAPTER 13:**

**THE FALSE CALM BEFORE THE STORM**

_Six months later_…

Harry and Felicia were standing in the office of Medea Graves as she and Bloodknife briefed them. "Word on the grapevine is, the NYPD finally have enough evidence to execute a warrant on Wilson Fisk. They're doing so tomorrow morning," Graves said.

Harry and Felicia looked at each other, before Harry asked, "I'm guessing this is a 'good news, bad news' thing, right? I mean, why would the Aurors or Gringotts get involved?"

"Because we have learned only recently that Wilson Fisk purchased a few magical artifacts on the black market," Bloodknife said. "Nothing that warrants a major breach of the Statute of Secrecy, yet, but still concerning. They're mostly artifacts that were stolen from Mahoutokoro by disgruntled expelled students, and given Fisk's interest in Japanese artifacts, it simply may be that he bought them due to that very interest."

"Exactly," Graves said. "However, leaving them in his hands is a risk we cannot take. Thankfully, Captain Watanabe is now aware of MACUSA and the wizarding world. We will be liaising with her and, if necessary, any of the vigilantes who might get involved. Given their history with the Kingpin, we expect either the Daredevil or Spider-Man to potentially get involved. Also, the assassin Elektra Natchios. You two won't be getting involved in the raid directly, though. For the moment, operational jurisdiction is in the hands of the NYPD rather than the DMLE, so Aurors won't be getting involved unless as a last resort. What we need you to do is to pinpoint any potential places where Fisk may have kept these artifacts."

Bloodknife handed over a printout with names and pictures. "These are the artifacts we suspect Fisk to have stolen. Miss Hardy, you are an experienced thief, and I am sure you have stolen from the Kingpin before. How familiar are you with where he stores his goods when he isn't displaying them?"

Felicia frowned, tapping her lips. "I have stolen from him on occasion, but never too often. Steal from someone like Fisk too often, and he'll send the big guns after me. I'm no stranger to bringing down heat on myself, but I know when to pick my battles. He does own more than a few construction sites, but I doubt he'd use them to store substantial amounts of art or artifacts. I stole from his headquarters when I did steal from him, though. That, and a gallery where he displayed his artifacts. I actually once chased a rumour that he had one of the Masamune swords that went missing after the Second World War. I'd need more information before I can do anything solid, though. Do you reckon the NYPD would find anything on his computers to suggest where he might have this stuff?"

"We'll put in a request to Captain Watanabe," Graves said. "Fisk could have some sort of kill-switch for his servers, one that could wipe them, or self-destruct. We'll see if we can contact Daredevil or Spider-Man if they get involved."

Felicia nodded. "Don't get me wrong, I could figure out where given enough time to investigate, but waiting for any information they can salvage would be better. The problem is, Fisk getting arrested, assuming he can't drown the cops out with his lawyers, will cause one hell of a power vacuum in the New York underworld. He's been the one keeping most of them away. The Maggia have been quiet, especially ever since we put paid to Hammerhead, and the only criminals making much noise have been superpowered nuts or rogue elements. But, well, what do they say? Nature abhors a vacuum. Something's going to rush in and fill the gap."

"You wouldn't know it, given the way Osborn's been trumpeting his re-election campaign," Graves said, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Arrogant bloody No-Maj…how he's able to run the city and still run a major corporation is beyond me. I know conflict of interest and nepotism are tolerated in MACUSA and in the wizarding world, but you'd think the No-Majs would be better."

Harry nodded grimly. Still, it was a truism that he held that magic didn't cause wizards' follies. Rather, it only magnified the follies humans in general were prey to.

Still, there was one folly he was glad he indulged in, he reflected as he looked at Felicia. It had taken quite a while of dancing around things, but they had finally progressed from boyfriend and girlfriend to lovers. He felt privileged, even if more than a few people back home would not have considered that to be the case, given that his lover was an infamous thief. But Felicia was smart, beautiful, and beneath a sardonic and pragmatic attitude, she was quite compassionate. She challenged him, and he liked to think he challenged her too. And unlike Silvija, she was quite flexible, mentally, anyway. Silvija, for all her virtues, tended to be unyielding and hard, and this was one of the factors behind her and Harry breaking up, even if it was amicably.

Felicia, on the other hand, was more mentally flexible. Perhaps it was the sort of mentality needed to be a professional thief. Then again, she was very flexible overall, including morally…and physically. And yet, there was more to her than that. People who looked at her immediately pegged her down as a sexy cat-burglar, like something out of a comic book. They didn't consider her to be a human being, with complex motives of her own, beyond hedonism and thrill-seeking.

"I don't think Felicia is wrong, Graves," Harry said. "Voldemort's death didn't end Magical Britain's problems, and even if nobody really took his place, the underlying problems are still there."

"I know that, Potter. I've been an Auror longer than you've known you were a wizard. But frankly, unless Fisk or other criminals pose a substantial threat to MACUSA, my hands are tied by our law. Yes, I know how ridiculous this is, in New York of all places. Between the Avengers when they're here, Dr Strange, the X-Men, Spider-Man, and all those others, who'd bat an eyelid at wizards? Still, we'll get any pertinent information from the NYPD, and send it to you via Gringotts."

"No more information on the Demons?" Harry asked.

"Not a damned thing, at least on any groups that use something like the Darkforce. Like it or not, your only lead died with that soldier. But we'll keep an eye on things, just in case they make their move when Fisk is out of the way…"

* * *

"I'm surprised you haven't gone for Fisk that often, Felicia," Harry remarked as they walked out of the DMLE.

"Like I said, I know when to pick my battles. I'm too well-known, and Fisk has a long reach. And with my father being an example of how things can go wrong…" She shrugged. "And then, well, I stole a portrait of his wife a few years back. The amount of heat he called down during that…well, I decided to be a bit more circumspect where he was concerned. Still stole from him on occasion, but it was mostly opportunistic stuff. I'm a risk-taker, not utterly suicidal."

"Well, we'll have to find out where he's keeping those artifacts. Hopefully, the NYPD might find something. I think we should speak to a certain friendly neighbourhood vigilante too."

"Later. I believe we had dinner plans before Graves called us up…"

* * *

As they ate dinner at the restaurant, Felicia seemed pensive. She gestured for Harry to erect a Privacy Charm. After he did so, she said, "Actually, I do have one place we can scope out. There's a gallery on the Upper West Side, it hosts a substantial portion of Fisk's collection. I can't guarantee that the items Gringotts wants us to look for are there, but…"

"It's worth a shot. I'll do some recon later. Fisk's men may know you, but they don't know me as well."

"I'm not a porcelain doll, Harry. Remember, that's what split Peter and MJ apart."

"They're on talking terms again. And we're talking about acceptable risks. I know you're good at stealth and small-scale combat. It's another thing entirely if Fisk sends a bunch of goons to you to gank you while you sleep, or bomb your apartment. The motto of Hogwarts is basically dodgy Latin for _Never tickle a sleeping dragon_."

Felicia snorted. "Yes, and did you ever take that advice? Don't get me wrong, I know you're concerned, and you want to protect me. But I've been in the thieving business longer than you. You'd be surprised at how much you can transform using a change of clothes, makeup, a wig, and some cotton balls. That, plus changing how you hold yourself, can do a lot. You wizards have it easy with your spells and…what's that godawful crap Hermione allowed me to try out once? Polyjuice Potion? Ugh. We mere mortals had to make do with good old-fashioned ingenuity."

"I know, I know. I just don't want you to get hurt, Felicia."

"That's fine. Once he's in prison, I'll have less trouble to worry about anyway. He's got enough influence to run his organisation while in prison, true, but his ability to retaliate will be less."

"I'll use spells anyway, just in case." As he toyed with his food pensively, he said, "Nearly two years since we first met. Time flies."

"Yeah. Have to admit, I'm enjoying doing this commission work for Gringotts. Can barely feel the leash," Felicia said, rubbing her neck pointedly. "At least doing this work is interesting, even if it doesn't pay as much as the usual heist."

"Hey, I'm still fine with you sticking it sideways to other criminals and corporate fat cats," Harry said. "Gringotts couldn't give a damn either. I'm honestly surprised you haven't done much to OsCorp."

"…Yeah, well, that's another thing entirely. You hear a lot of shady things about OsCorp, stuff that makes me second-guess going after Osborn's shit. I mean, Octavius has a bone to pick with Osborn, and Osborn is circling Octavius like the vulture he is…not like the actual Vulture, who is an edgelord who's too old to play dress-up. Then again, calling Osborn a vulture is an insult to vultures. If Osborn makes his move, I'll see what I can do to make up the difference to Octavius, through some robberies on Oscorp. Octavius seems like a pretty sweet guy…though I'm pretty sure he's hiding something."

"Hiding something?"

Felicia sighed. "The last time I was over there, Octavius offered to help me improve my gadgets. I refused politely, because I'm a bit paranoid about having people tinker with them. But while I was there, I noticed more than a few letters from a certain physician whose name rang a bell. I looked up that physician…and they specialise in neurodegenerative disorders. I think Octavius is suffering from some sort of degenerative illness. That might be why he has such a fixation on artificial limbs. I honestly don't know if Hermione or Peter know."

Harry stared at Felicia in shock. "And you didn't think to say anything sooner?"

"Believe it or not, Harry, I'm more considerate of people's privacy than being a thief would suggest, at least as far as those who I give a damn about are concerned. My targets are fair game, but Octavius is another matter. And the thing is, he's paranoid, as you well know. Mildly, but when it comes to Osborn and his associates, he's still touchy. And given that NDAs are involved, I think he might be right to be paranoid about Osborn. Norman Osborn may have a façade of a good person. Hell, he treats Peter genuinely like a second son, as far as I can tell. But you hear all sorts of rumours about dodgy business practises and dangerous experiments in their biotech wing, even if nothing can be proven. Then again, Octavius cofounded Oscorp. Part of it may just be sour grapes. I honestly don't know, and Octavius, paranoid though he is, seems like a decent person."

"…Should we say anything?" Harry asked.

"Not to Hermione or Peter," Felicia said. "That's Octavius' call, not ours. But…look, if you want to say anything to the man himself, that's fine. You can blame me for finding out, it's not like I went out of my way to nose into his business. It's just the nature of cats to be curious."

Harry nodded. He'd have to find a way to broach the subject gently, and in private. Even if he was on better terms with Otto since they first met, and was supplying a good amount of funding, Otto did remain a little skittish about anything involving Osborn or potential industrial espionage.

"Well, we'll burn that bridge when we come to it." He held out a glass. "Here's to Fisk falling from grace."

"Amen to that," Felicia said, clinking her glass to his own. "It's been a long time coming…"

**CHAPTER 13 ANNOTATIONS:**

**Heh heh…it's been a while, huh? Admittedly, that was due to me not playing the game for a while, having more or less completed the whole thing. Still, never mark any of my stories as dead until I say so. I should really get to buying and playing the Miles Morales game too, see what that's like…**

**No numbered annotations this time.**


End file.
